Rawalpindi: Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani categorically discarded US media reports regarding Pak-US joint operation in North Waziristan region, during a meeting with General James N. Mattis, Commander US CENTCOM, last night where both sides also discussed matters of mutual interest.
COAS clarified Pakistan’s stance over North Waziristan operation in a press release by referring to Secretary Clinton’s statement of 3 July 2012, in which she talked of “coordinated actions against terrorists who threaten Pakistan and the region.
The press release explained differentiation between ‘coordinated action’ and ‘joint operation’ saying ‘Coordinated action’ implies that Pakistan Army and ISAF conduct operation on respective sides of Pak – Afghan Border. For such actions, intelligence sharing is the mainstay of mutual cooperation.
Contrarily, a ‘joint operation’ implies that the two forces are physically employed jointly on either side of the border. A’ joint operation’ in this sense is unacceptable to the people and Armed Forces of Pakistan, the statement informed Friday.
