A report published by various newspapers in Pakistan revealed that a US general has alleged that some Al-Qaeda terrorists and dreaded Taliban leaders have been hiding in the tribal areas situated on Pak-Afghan border.
He alleged that the peace deals signed with Taliban have actually been used by the terrorists for strengthening their position. But on the other hand, the US ambassador has held a meeting with NWFP governor, who is the controlling authority of tribal areas, in which she showed satisfaction over Pakistan's initiatives in the tribal areas for controlling terrorism.
There is a lot of contradiction in the statements of these leaders. This confusion has further been strengthening terrorism.
According to report from Kabul, the US military said it expected Al Qaeda to continue its “re-emergence” in sanctuaries in Pakistan’s tribal areas from where it supported attacks in Afghanistan.
Sanctuary was provided to Al Qaeda and Taliban rebels after Islamabad signed a peace deal with militants in a desperate attempt to quell the unrest in its Tribal Areas in September 2006, US Major Tim Williams, future operations intelligence planner, told reporters at Bagram Air Field.
The militants called off the deal in July this year after Pakistani security forces raided a radical mosque in Islamabad where rebels had massed. “This area remains a support and sanctuary area for the insurgency as results of those peace accords,” he said. He said the Islamic rebels were likely to maintain their presence in those areas despite apparent efforts by Pakistani army to root them out.
“In FATA, we anticipate sanctuary in this region to continue the Al Qaeda re-emergence,” Williams said. This “sanctuary” could shelter the fugitive Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and Taliban chief Mullah Mohammad Omar, the officer said.
A handout issued by the Governor's House state that US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson called on NWFP Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Ali Muhammad Jan Orakzai here at Governor’s House .
She was accompanied by Principal Officer Lynne Tracy, Narcotics Affairs Sections’ Bob Traister, Captain Scott Stephen, USAID’s David Lieberman and Political Officer Justin Kolbeek.
The meeting focused on socio economic development initiatives of Pakistani government in FATA.
The US ambassador reaffirmed her government’s commitment for the development of FATA and appreciated Pakistan’s role and commitment in the war against terrorism. They discussed proceedings of the Pak-Afghan jirga recently held in Kabul. Robert Traister briefly reviewed the defence road projects in Khyber and expressed satisfaction over pace of work. The level of cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan in various fields and the setting up of Reconstruction Opportunity Zones in FATA were also discussed.
Orakzai informed the ambassador about the government’s efforts for multi faceted development of FATA. He said there was substantial increase in the annual development budget for FATA, adding that Rs 7.5 billion had been earmarked during the current fiscal year. The governor praised the US government’s financial support for the Sustainable Development Plan for FATA.
He said administrative capacity of FATA Secretariat had been enhanced in order to ensure timely implementation of schemes.
FATA Additional Chief Secretary Javed Iqbal, Governor’s Secretary Azmat Hanif, Law and Order Secretary Arbab Muhammad Arif, Planning and Development Secretary Zafar Hasan and FDA Chief Executive Salim Khan were also present during the meeting.
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