US complies with Pak request to reduce number of military personnel

The US has reduced the number of its military personnel in Pakistan following a request from Islamabad, reflecting the continuing tensions between the two countries in the wake of the American raid that killed Osama bin Laden last month.

"We recently received a written request from the government of Pakistan to reduce the number of US military personnel here, and we have nearly completed that reduction," said Vice-Admiral Michael LeFever, chief of the Office of the Defence Representative Pakistan.

"We've been honoured to partner with the Pakistan military and we believe our service members here provide excellent support to Pakistan's military in the fight against violent extremists," LeFever said in a statement issued by the US embassy.

The statement did not give the actual of US military personnel who had been pulled out of Pakistan.

Recent reports have said that they included American trainers who had been working with Pakistani paramilitary organisations like the Frontier Corps.

The US Embassy statement said American US military personnel in Pakistan include trainers who work with Pakistani security forces.

"The total number of US military forces in Pakistan is determined at the request of and in conjunction with the government and military of Pakistan," it said.

"When the government of Pakistan requests assistance, the US remains ready to help with the security requirements of Pakistan," said LeFever.

Three days after the May 2 raid by US Navy Seals that killed Laden in the garrison city of Abbottabad, the Pakistani Army said the strength of American military personnel in the country should be reduced to the "minimum essential."

Another meeting of the army's Corps Commanders held yesterday decided to "drastically cut down the strength of US troops stationed in Pakistan".

US assistance for training on newly inducted weapons and for the Frontier Corps "has ceased now", the military said. The army also decided to share intelligence with the US "strictly on the basis of reciprocity and complete transparency."

The military said it had informed US intelligence officials that "no intelligence agency can be allowed to carry out independent operation on our soil."