Pakistan asks head of US central command to halt airstrikes (Roundup)

Nov 3, 2008, 13:32 GMT

Islamabad - Islamabad on Monday asked the new head of US central command, General David Petraeus, to halt airstrikes inside Pakistan, saying these were harming its efforts to fight international terrorism.

'Continuing drone attacks on our territory, which result in loss of precious lives and property, are counterproductive and difficult to explain by a democratically elected government. It is creating a credibility gap', President Asif Ali Zardari told the commander of US forces in the Middle East and Central Asia.

Petraeus' visit comes at a time when relations between Washington and Islamabad are strained because pilotless US aircraft are regularly targeting suspected militant hideouts in Pakistan's tribal region along the Afghan border.

According to Pakistani officials, these strikes cause heavy civilian casualties and fuel anti-US sentiment, complicating the country's efforts to combat terrorism.

Pakistan on Wednesday summoned US Ambassador Anne Patterson to lodge a protest against recent US drone attacks.

Two days later, around 30 people died as US drones fired missiles in South and North Wazristan tribal regions.

These raids should be stopped and the focus should be more on enhanced coordination and intelligence-sharing, Zardari said, warning that the government was 'under pressure to react more aggressively' against the attacks.

Pakistan says only its forces have the right to act against Taliban and al-Qaeda militants using its tribal region to launch cross-border attacks on US-led international forces in Afghanistan.

Six militants were killed and many were injured by Pakistani troops in an action in the Mamoond and Chahrmang areas of the Bajaur tribal district.

The security forces started pounding Taliban positions Sunday night with artillery fire, and the operation continued until Monday morning, a security official said.

Petraeus, who is accompanied by Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher on his first international trip, also held talks with Pakistan's military chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar.

Meanwhile, gunmen seized Afghan national Akhtar Kohistani Sunday in the North-West Frontier Province's Darosh district, 80 kilometres south of Chitral, the region's main town.

Local police officials said the captive was associated with the United Nations Development Programme in Afghanistan.

Darosh police chief Sher Akbar said a group of armed men seized Kohistani at his father-in-law's house.

There was no official confirmation from UN officials in Afghanistan or Pakistan.