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Musharraf debunks US military claim

* Says baseless allegations could hurt Pak-US ties
* Fencing and mining of Pak-Afghan border aims at stopping anti-state elements

ISLAMABAD: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Monday rejected US Maj Gen Benjamin Freakley’s claim that Jalaluddin Haqqani was perating from inside Pakistan to foment violence in Afghanistan, and said that the “baseless allegations” could harm Pak-US cooperation in the war on terror.

According to Online, Musharraf was addressing a meeting to review the situation on the Pak-Afghan border and the establishment of ‘reconstruction opportunity zones’ in the tribal areas. He said that Pakistan’s “unprecedented sacrifices” in the war on terror could not be ignored. He also declared allegations by several US commanders and others that the Taliban were operating from Pakistan as “baseless”.

He said that a United Nations report on the Taliban’s command-and-control infrastructure was enough to prove this. He said that the main objective to fence and mine the Pak-Afghan border was to stop the movement of anti-state elements.

Canada’s recommendations on the use of alternative means to control the border instead of fencing and mining would be reviewed, he said, and directed the departments and ministries concerned to review Canada’s proposals.

Discussing the law and order situation in the tribal areas, Musharraf stressed the need to expedite work on the establishment of ‘reconstruction opportunity zones’ in the tribal areas, in collaboration with the United States.

Sources said that the situation in North Waziristan, following the signing of a peace accord between the government and pro-Taliban tribal elders, and the US’s reservations were also reviewed at the meeting.

Staff Report adds: The president directed that a modern system to record all movements across the Pak-Afghan border be installed.

He said that a record for all cross border movements should be compiled, and directed the Foreign Affairs Ministry to coordinate with the Afghan government for similar measures on the other side as well. He praised the steps being taken for the improvement of security on the Pakistan side.

He directed officials from FATA and Balochistan government to take all necessary steps to curb illegal crossings. The interior minister told the meeting that Pakistan had over 900 checkposts on the Pak-Afghan border.

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