7/29/2019 Kayani denies joint military operation in N Waziristan The Express Tribune

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10/16/12 11:19 AMKayani denies joint military operation in N Waziristan The Express Tribune

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Kayani denies joint military operation in N Waziristan

Army chief meets US Centcom Commander, says Pakistan will not launch operations

as a result of 'outside pressure'. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE

ISLAMABAD: Chief on Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has

categorically denied US media reports which stated that Pakistan was launching

joint operations in the North Waziristan Agency.

In a statement released by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Friday, Kayani

clarified Pakistans position in response to Secretary of State Hillary Clintons state-

ment of July 3, 2012 in which she said talked of coordinated actions against terrorists

who threaten Pakistan and the region.

The ISPR statement said, It is important to distinguish between coordinated action

and joint operation.

Coordinated action implies that the Pakistan Army and Isaf conduct operation on

7/29/2019 Kayani denies joint military operation in N Waziristan The Express Tribune

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10/16/12 11:19 AMKayani denies joint military operation in N Waziristan The Express Tribune

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respective sides of the 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 opera-

tion in this sense is unacceptable to the people and the armed forces of Pakistan,

hence, has always been our clearly stated red line.

Kayani reiterated that Pakistan might undertake operations in North Waziristan de-

termined by the political and military requirements but it will never be a result of any

outside pressure.

Pakistans national interest continues to be the prime consideration for any decision

in this regard, the ISPR statement said.

According to the statement, Kayani dispelled the US reports during a meeting withCommander US Centcom General James N Mattis in Islamabad, in which both sides

discussed matters of mutual interest and expressed satisfaction over the level of coop-

eration between the two militaries.

On Monday, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta had toldAP news agency that Pak-

istan had decided to launch a military operation against the Pakistani Taliban in

North Waziristan but the campaign was not against the Haqqani network.

Read more: nwaziristan

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