Pakistan govt authorises Gen Kayani to take decision on North Waziristan operation

[sonicboom]

Pakistan govt authorises Gen Kayani to take decision on North Waziristan operation: Report

Published: Wednesday, Nov 24, 2010


The Pakistan government has authorised army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to take a final decision on when and how to launch an operation against the Taliban in the restive North Waziristan tribal region as it insisted that no "external pressure" would be accepted on the issue.

The decision to allow Kayani to finalise the contours of the operation in North Waziristan tribal agency was made at a meeting yesterday that was attended by President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the army chief, The Express Tribune newspaper reported today, quoting military sources.

The trio discussed key issues, including a "possible military operation in North Waziristan agency," the border situation and internal and external threats to Pakistan, the report said.

"The meeting decided that it was for Islamabad to take a decision about launching a military operation in any part of the country. And that no external pressure would be accepted in this regard," the report said.

The trio discussed the "fluid security situation in the tribal regions and in Balochistan" and also "took up the issue of increasing US drone strikes in the tribal regions and reports in the US media about possible expansion in the drone campaign," the paper said.

The three leaders decided that the US "would not be allowed to expand drone attacks to any other part" of Pakistan.

A statement issued yesterday by the presidency only said that the meeting was a "part of the consultative process" and that the three leaders had discussed "matters concerning the security situation."

The US has stepped up pressure on Pakistan in recent months to move troops into North Waziristan, considered the hub of Taliban and al-Qaeda elements that target American and allied forces across the border in Afghanistan.


Pakistan govt authorises Gen Kayani to take decision on North Waziristan operation: Report - World - DNA