Action against Haqqanis, not yet

Admiral Michael Mullen, the US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Friday demanded a full-fledged military operation in North Waziristan Agency against the Haqqani network, the most influential Taliban faction fighting the US-led foreign troops in Afghanistan.
Mullen’s reiterated demand for the military offensive came during his meeting with Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani at the sidelines of NATO Chiefs of Defence meeting at Seville, Spain, according to an official who requested anonymity. General Kayani also met Admiral Edourad Guillaud, the French chief of defence staff, the ISPR said.
The ISPR touched upon General Kayani’s meeting with Admiral Mullen, but did not give details. However, the official said the top US military official spoke about the urgent need for a military action against the Haqqani network, saying the terrorist group couldn’t be brought to the table of negotiations which was proven from the recent deadly attack on the US embassy compound in Kabul. But Gen Kayani told Mullen that any operation in North Waziristan would be carried out by Pakistan per its own decision.
“The army chief said Pakistan had been engaged in military operations against terrorists in various tribal areas, as it considers the menace of terror a serious threat to its sovereignty,” the official said. Gen Kayani said it was Pakistan’s sovereign right to formulate policies keeping in view its national interests and the wishes of its people. After the terrorists’ assault in Kabul on Tuesday, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta warned Pakistan that his country would “do everything we can” to defend American forces from Pakistan-based militants staging attacks in Afghanistan.
US officials, including Panetta, suspect militants from the Haqqani network were behind Tuesday’s rocket attack on the US embassy in Kabul, as well as a truck bomb last Saturday that injured 77 American troops. The official said the US had once again started exerting immense pressure on Pakistan for a military operation against the Haqqanis and it had deeply impacted the ongoing efforts by Islamabad and Kabul for reconciliation between the two countries.
“The meeting between General Kayani and Admiral Mullen was supposed to give impetus to the reconciliation process between Islamabad and Washington, but the Kabul attack and Panetta’s statement changed the situation and the talks between the top military officials in Seville were rather focused on North Waziristan operation and the Haqqani network,” the official said. According to an ISPR statement, the army chief delivered a talk on ‘Pakistan’s Role in Global War on Terror’.
“He highlighted the sacrifices given by Pakistan to fight the menace of terrorism and also, Pakistan’s expectations of support from the rest of the world,” the statement said. It said that General Kayani reiterated the resolve and commitment of Pakistan in the struggle, while underlining Pakistan’s sovereign right to formulate policy in accordance with its national interests and the wishes of the Pakistani people.
Later, Gen Kayani told reporters that he doubted Afghanistan would be ready for international troops to leave by 2014 as planned. “Frankly, I have my doubts,” he said on the sidelines of the conference. Kayani said he thought an alternative deadline might be possible. “No date can be a final date.”