Anticipating unilateral military action by the United States against the Haqqani network, the Pakistani military establishment has said that any such move would have disastrous consequences for bilateral relations.
The Army Chief reportedly made it clear that no military operation was possible in the North Waziristan tribal agency against the network. The US had made a fresh demand during Friday’s meeting between US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen and General Ashfaq Kayani in Spain on the sidelines of a NATO conference.
Pakistani authorities are seriously concerned that just like the covert raid to kill Osama bin Laden, the US could resort to unilateral action against the Haqqani network. Pakistan’s refusal to launch an immediate military operation in North Waziristan because of its own constraints had not gone down well with the US and it was well illustrated by US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta’s strong reaction, where he hinted at a “hot pursuit” against the Haqqani network on Pakistani soil.
However, according to daily The News, “The Pakistani leadership has refused to budge under US pressure and has warned the Americans to refrain from unilateral military action on Pakistani soil, as it will have disastrous ramifications for the ties between Islamabad and Washington”.
