Pakistan's ambassador lashes out at 'trigger-happy' US

Pakistan's ambassador to Washington has accused the US of acting in a trigger-happy manner, alienating ordinary Pakistanis by the mission to kill Osama bin Laden.

The comments made by Husain Haqqani, a moderate figure who has to act as a bridge between the two awkward allies, emphasises how far apart the countries remain three months after the al-Qaeda leader was killed.

"When the Americans come into Pakistan in a military fashion, unilaterally with guns blazing, essentially they are creating fear amongst the populous, which instead of looking upon them as friends starts being suspicious," he said in an interview with Washington's WTOP radio.

The Navy Seal raid in May has caused intense anger in Pakistan, where the military and civilian leadership were given no advance warning for fear the plans would be leaked.

Relations were already at a low after the US asked that a covert CIA agent arrested in January after shooting dead two Pakistani men in Lahore be released and given diplomatic immunity. A third victim was killed by a four-wheel drive vehicle sent to rescue Raymond Davis, the spy.

Since then American diplomats have complained they face harassment in Pakistan and delays in obtaining visas.

At the same time, Washington has increased the pressure on Pakistan to launch a military offensive against militant havens in North Waziristan, one of the tribal agencies along Afghan border beyond the writ of the government in Islamabad.

Such action will become even more crucial as American troops leave Afghanistan.

Dr Haqqani said the two episodes had escalated levels of distrust but that the two had to try to rebuild relations.

"There are enough suspicions about the US in Pakistan already," he said.

"There is a lot of negativity, which the U.S. needs to fight to change public opinion and win over hearts and minds, but in a circumstance like that, to do something like this, results in more negativity."

That will not be helped by a State Department travel advisory published on Tuesday which warns Americans of increased harassment in Pakistan and reports that aid workers, journalists and diplomats have been wrongly outed as "spies" in the local media.