Pakistan says US strikes on its soil would be'dangerous' move (Corrected)

Jul 23, 2007, 17:08 GMT

Islamabad - Islamabad warned on Monday that any US military action on its soil would be 'dangerous and irresponsible', amid repeated statements from Washington that it would not rule out military force to eliminate al-Qaeda hideouts in Pakistan.

'We have stated in the clearest terms that any attack inside our territory would be unacceptable,' Pakistani Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam told reporters, adding that 'such action would be deeply resented in the tribal areas and generally in Pakistan.'

White House Homeland Secretary Adviser Frances Townsend said his country would 'use all instruments at its disposal' to act against al-Qaeda and Taliban elements inside Pakistan.

US intelligence chief Mike McConnell said he believed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was alive and being sheltered in Pakistan's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

Pakistan has 'absolutely no such information' that bin Laden was in Pakistan, Aslam said, and urged the US officials to share 'actionable' information with Islamabad in this regard instead of speculating on his whereabouts.

'If the US or any other country has any concrete information to share, they share with us, we will take action. It is not sufficient to say that I think Osama bin Laden is alive and is present in this part of the country or that part of the country,' she said.

The spokeswoman reassured Islamabad's commitment to combating terrorism but called upon Washington to avoid such statements that would be 'counterproductive to create an impression of any divergences or differences on the issue of counter-terrorism.'

The US officials have recently renewed criticism of the peace accord Pakistan signed last September with tribesmen in North Waziristan obliging them to contain foreign fighters launching attacks into Afghanistan in return for an end to military action.

'Instead of pushing al-Qaeda out, the people who live in these federally administered tribal areas, they made a safe-haven for training and recruiting, McConnell said. 'Al-Qaeda's been able to regain some of its momentum.'

Defending the deal, Aslam said in order to cope with the problems in the area Pakistan had adopted a comprehensive strategy that included economic and administrative as well as military measures and the accord was part of that approach.

'Our view is that the deal was helpful and the president has said that if the deal works even 20 percent it was something we would like to continue,' Aslam said.

However, the peace agreement is already virtually inexistent as Islamic militants announced to pull out of it on July 15 to protest the military operation against Islamabad's Red Mosque where several among the killed Islamic students were from tribal areas.

The government has since then dispatched several delegations to the area for negotiations with the rebels, amid week-long ongoing skirmishes between the security forces and Islamic militants.

Nineteen militants were killed in a military action over the weekend.