Pakistan leaders to discuss deteriorating relations with the US

Sep 29, 2011, 8:59 GMT

Islamabad - The leaders of Pakistan's ruling and opposition parties were to meet Thursday to discuss deteriorating relations with the United States, following allegations by Washington that Islamabad was supporting the Haqqani terrorist network.

'More than 65 leaders from all major and smaller political parties have been invited to an All Parties Conference, which will be an in-camera meeting,' said Akram Shahidi, a spokesman for Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

A senior official said that the main objective of the conference was to address how to safeguard national security in the wake of threatening statements from the US.

Participants were to include Nawaz Sharif, the two-time former premier and head of the main opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-N, long-term critic of the US and former cricketing hero Imran Khan, and the leaders of all religious and regional parties.

Senior military and intelligence figures were also to attend the emergency meeting.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was to ask participants to recommend a policy formulation to deal with the latest perceived threat.

The conference came as the US government renewed calls Wednesday for Pakistan to act against the radical Haqqani network.

'The continuing safe havens that the Haqqani network enjoys in Pakistan and the links between the Pakistani military and the Haqqani network are troubling, and we want action taken against them,' White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

Last week, the top-ranking US military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, said the Haqqani network 'acts as a veritable arm of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency.'

US media have reported that the group could soon be designated a terrorist group by the US government.

It is second time that Pakistan political and military leadership has come together to discuss the ties with the US. Parliament held a joint session in May to discuss the covert US action that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, souring bilateral ties.

The mistrust between the two countries has been increasing since that incident, and pressure is mounting on Pakistani political and military leaders to review anti-terror cooperation with Washington.

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