President Pervez Musharraf |
President Pervez Musharraf has reportedly rejected a US proposal to allow CIA-run combat operations in Pakistan’s restive tribal areas.
The New York Times reported that CIA director, Michael Hayden, and the director of US national intelligence, Mike McConnell, made a secret trip to Pakistan early January.
The officials sought to convince Musharraf that greater involvement of US forces would help root out al-Qaeda and Taliban along the Afghan border, the report quoted a senior US official as saying.
The report claimed both sides are now discussing other joint efforts, such as enhancing US intelligence and use of armed Predator surveillance aircraft over the tribal areas.
Sunday’s report went on to add that Washington believes Pakistan is not taking the al-Qaeda threat seriously, although intelligence reports suggest militant groups are trying to destabilize the Pakistani government.
