Kayani criticises US cross-border raid

In an unusually strong public statement, Pakistan8217;s army chief has lashed out at the US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan...

In an unusually strong public statement, Pakistan8217;s army chief has lashed out at the US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan over the cross-border raids in the tribal belt and vowed to defend the country8217;s sovereignty and territorial integrity 8220;at all cost8221;.

Such intrusions were not covered by 8220;any agreement or understanding with the coalition forces8221;, Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said.

They are not 8220;allowed to conduct operations on our side of the border8221;, Kayani said in a statement late on Wednesday. His reaction comes in the wake of mounting crossborder violations by US predator drones and a raid by coalition special forces inside a village in Pakistan8217;s tribal belt, which killed over 15 people.

Under the 8220;well-defined8221; rules of engagement with the coalition forces, the right to conduct operations against militants within Pakistan is solely the responsibility of the country8217;s armed forces, he said.

No 8220;external force is allowed to conduct operations inside Pakistan8221; and the country8217;s sovereignty and territorial integrity would be defended 8220;at all cost8221;, Kayani said and cautioned that strikes by foreign forces could 8220;further fuel8221; the militancy in the country.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday endorsed Kayani8217;s stance, saying it reflected the Government8217;s policy. He said his Government had the same views as the army chief on defending the country8217;s sovereignty and integrity.

Kayani also said that, during his meeting with top US military officers aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on August 27, he had stressed that 8220;military action alone cannot solve the problem8221; of militancy in Pakistan8217;s northwest and tribal areas. 8220;Political reconciliatory effort was required to go along with the military prong to win the hearts and minds of the people,8221; he said.

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Kayani 8220;reiterated the need for a collaborative approach for better understanding of a highly complex issue8221;. He said 8220;trust-deficit and misunderstandings can lead to more complications8221;.

8220;Our security forces have made huge sacrifices in this war and it is the presence of the army which has denied the freedom of movement and operation to al-Qaeda and their affiliates,8221; he said.

He said he had informed US officials about the 8220;complexity of the issue that requires understanding in depth and more patience for evolving comprehensive solution8221;.

8220;There are no quick fixes in this war8230; To succeed, the coalition would be required to display strategic patience and help the other side the way they want it rather than adopting a unilateral approach which may be counter productive,8221; he said.