Pakistan

Pakistan planning to attack North Waziristan: Mullen

Mullen says Pakistan has pledged to go after militants the US wants in in North Waziristan.

Express October 14, 2010

Pakistan’s army has pledged to go after militants the US wants targeted North Waziristan, an area harbouring al Qaeda that has become “the epicentre of terrorism,” President Barack Obama’s top military adviser said on Bloomberg Television.

Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said his Pakistani counterpart, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, has given assurances he will mount an offensive the US has long called for in North Waziristan along the Afghan border.

Muller cited as evidence for his optimism Pakistan’s offensives against the Taliban and related groups elsewhere in the country during the past one and a half years. “He’s committed to me to go into North Waziristan and to root out these terrorists as well,” Admiral Mullen, said in an interview on Bloomberg Television’s ‘Conversations with Judy Woodruff’ to be broadcast this weekend. “He clearly knows what our priorities are.”

North Waziristan “is the epicentre of terrorism,” Admiral Mullen said. “It’s where al Qaeda lives.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (20)

an | 14 years ago | Reply Finish these extremists before they kill pakistan.

eraj danish | 14 years ago | Reply The Taliban will have to be eliminated from the country as there is no space for such gruesome actions in Pakistan and violence.

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ali hamdani | 14 years ago | Reply Pakistan must be free from terrorism in the country and the Taliban must be hunt down and eradicated from the country.

Aristo | 14 years ago | Reply The heading is so misleading, Pakistan planning to attack North Waziristan as if North Waziristan is in Afghanistan or India. How can our army attack our own people, looks like our army is living to its repute of the only army in the world that takes pride in bombing and holding operations against its own civilian. Why not attack the CIA bases in Afghanistan which are sponsoring terrorism inside our cities (pre-emptive strikes, hot pursuit, etc). Ah but cannot cut the hands that feed them. Pakistan govt is bankrupt and it is actually the US taxpayer who is funding the army these days in lieu of coalition support fund.

ali | 14 years ago | Reply @Ali Raza Well Americans dont live in afghanistan, they will pack thier stuff and leave. And the dialogue will result in taliban getting a share in the government. So should we appoint Hakeemullah Mehsood as Governer Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa?

S. Ali Raza | 14 years ago | Reply It isn't it a bit hypocritical of them, to push for talks with the Afghan Taliban, and want Pakistan to go in and root out the Pakistan Taliban.

Ben | 14 years ago | Reply USA will have problems in Afghanistan as long as it does not have sustainable alliance with Pakistan. It seems USA has not learned from history. Read more at:link text

Yasir Qadeer | 14 years ago | Reply Pak army has already conducted a successful operation in Swat and freed it from the terrorists. We all support our army under the directives of the elected government to repeat their success in North Waziristan.

Anoop | 14 years ago | Reply @Usman Khalid, A confident, stable country is a protection in itself. India never needed silly strategic depths to protect itself.

Usman Khalid | 14 years ago | Reply @anoop... u should be thankful to pakistan for protected you from russians...

GHULAM SHABBIR | 14 years ago | Reply Is its army's job to decide where and when operation should be launched or Government? Is army not taking dectations? we support operation but it should be our Government and army to decide whether operation is necessary and no other option would work! we the people of Pakistan are ready to give our blood for our's and world peace but would some one insure us that this is last time and our future generations will live with peace? we would not be labelled as terrorist? we would not be mistreated?

Ali Haider | 14 years ago | Reply Another disaster.

S. Ali Raza | 14 years ago | Reply Why hasn't Kayani said anything about it?

Ahsanullah Mehsud | 14 years ago | Reply

          South Waziristan operation caused desertion of villages, now they serve as a hide-hole for international terrorists. when the mehsuds were in their villages the militants of other areas find it hard to create space for themselves. 

        Repeating the same mistake in North Waziristan would be madness. The longer these villages are deserted the more it will attract the terrorists, sabotaging the peace of our country.

Saad | 14 years ago | Reply can only believe when it starts ... and can only hope that it won't be another running competation giving safa passage to talibs --- going from one agency to another, from North Waziristan to Bajaur and then Khayber.

Amna Zaman | 14 years ago | Reply It is important for Pakistan to curb the menace of extremism and cut down on the militancy in the country. This is the only way we will be able to succeed as a nation.

Amna Zaman | 14 years ago | Reply Taliban must be eradicated for once and for all as much blood has been already shed in the name of religion.

Anoop | 14 years ago | Reply Hope this turns to reality. This would greatly help Afghanistan. But, yeah. This will cause a lot of casualties for Pakistan. But, you reap what you sow.. Cant help.

Abbas | 14 years ago | Reply *Pakistan planning to attack North Waziristan?? Way to add Masalha to news Tribune. I'm disappointed. Please explain to us dumb people how a country attacks one of its own regions? The Pak Army is getting rid of the black sheeps within. Stop mis-labelling news. Thank you.

faraz | 14 years ago | Reply Gear up for some major fire works in cities; we have no other option but to secure writ of these areas.

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