ISAF unwilling to act against Pakistani Taliban

Foreign forces in Afghanistan are unwilling to take action against Pakistani Taliban, who have established in Afghan border regions and launch attacks on Pakistani check posts from there, reports said Friday. Pakistan is urging the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan for a big push against Pakistani militants in eastern Afghan provinces of Kunar and Nuristan, who in a recent attack killed over 20 Pakistanis security men in Chitral district. The differences could result in another rough patch in military and intelligence ties between Pakistan and the US, which leads the NATO mission in Afghanistan, Dawn newspaper reported. ISAF Commander Gen John Allen, who was on his first visit to Pakistan on Wednesday after taking over the coalition command in Afghanistan, had to listen to protests by Pakistani generals upset over the ease with which Pakistani Taliban who, after fleeing military operations in the country, the daily reported. A day earlier, Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had visited Chitral and adjoining areas that witnessed Taliban attacks and the issue was also discussed on Thursday at the Corps Commanders conference, underscoring the seriousness being attached by the army to the issue. Gen Allen, according to one source, was categorically told that it was the responsibility of Isaf and Afghan National Army to prevent future incursions. Pakistani military has avoided threatening hot pursuit of raiding militants; however, Gen Allen was told that further attacks would not be tolerated. Military officials suggest that the policy may be reversed if ISAF and the Afghan army did not act against sanctuaries of Pakistani Taliban in Afghanistan. Gen Allen in his meetings appeared to be confident that the new combination was working well, despite the fact that August saw the highest number of American fatalities since the war began in 2001 and the downing of Chinook helicopter by Taliban in eastern province of Wardak. At the corps commanders’ conference, the army top brass agreed to augment paramilitary deployment in areas bordering Nooristan and Kunar to counter any attacks in future.