US/Pakistan/Afghanistan

Islamabad anger over alleged secret Bush order

Article published on the 2008-09-11 Latest update 2008-09-11 14:05 TU

Traders in Multan protest against strikes in Pakistani tribal areas
(Photo: Reuters)

On the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the US, Pakistan's army chief has sworn to defend his country's territorial integrity after reports that President George Bush gave secret orders for US operations there. Tension is rising between the allies after the deaths of civilians in international operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Last week Islamabad officially accused the US and Nato-led forces in Afghanistan of conducting missile strikes and raids in Pakistani territory. Local people claim they have cost the lives of many civilians.

On Thursday General Ashfaq Kayani slammed the raids, denying that there was any agreement that they could take place, and declared, "The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country will be defended at all cost."

Pakistan Human Rights Commission Executive Director IA Rehman says that the raids create a backlash among the people of the tribal areas.

"Even those who are not friendly towards the Al Qaeda or Taliban, when they are attacked there is a reaction most unwelcome to Pakistani authorities," he told RFI.

"It threatens to destabilise Pakistan. This is a very serious problem for Pakistan," he added.

Thursday's New York Times reports that Bush secretly approved orders to allow US Special Operations forces to conduct ground operations in Pakistan without its government's permission.

US officials say they will notify Islamabad of raids but will not wait for authorisation.

“The situation in the tribal areas is not tolerable,” an anonymous senior American official told the paper. “We have to be more assertive. Orders have been issued.”

On Wednesday Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Admiral Michael Mullen said that he has ordered a new strategy to tackle Al Qaeda and Taliban "that covers both sides of the border".

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday said that he had been advocating such a change for three and a half years.

International forces Thursday claimed to have killed several suspected guerrillas in a raid on a "terrorist leader" allegedly helping foreign fighters over the border.

Residents and officials in the village in Ghazni province say that a mother and her two sons were killed in an air strike.

In Pakistan, Taliban fighters beheaded two police recruits in a tribal region a week after abducting them and shot three government supporters in another area.