The White House on Tuesday sent Congress a progress report of the Afghanistan war, saying Pakistan is making little progress in containing insurgents but acknowledging improved military ties between Islamabad and Washington.
The report, mandated by the Congress, assessed security situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan from July 2010 through December 2010. It noted security situation in Pakistan's tribal regions bordering Afghanistan has deteriorated markedly. It also raised concerns about continuing political and economic problems in that country.
However, the report noted improved military relations between Islamabad and Washington, saying advances the Pakistani security forces made toward the tribal region were coordinated with NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, designed to make sure insurgents could be captured as they flee across the border.
The report was compiled by the Obama administration's national security staff, and an unclassified version was released Tuesday, while portions of it remained classified. It also noted rising recent bloodshed in Afghanistan, particularly civilian deaths.
It said a rising number of suicide attacks in recent months pointed to the beginning of this year's "fighting season" in Afghanistan, which suggests a shift in Taliban tactics against softer government and civilian targets.
A recent new White House report, which claims that Pakistan has "no clear path" to defeat militants on its soil, has once again reflected mistrust between the two close allies in the war on terror.
The April 6 White House report said that Pakistan's fight against militancy is making little progress despite increased military cooperation between Pakistan and the United States in the last three months.
The report assessing the war against militants in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan was submitted by the Obama administration to the Congress. The United States had tied the annual non- military aid of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars aid to Pakistan with progress against the Taliban militants.
Some observers are of the opinion that the White House assessment report could have some negative impact on the conditional U.S. aid.
Pakistan was quick to react to the report angrily and the Foreign Office rejected the White House assessment of the country' s anti-terror role.
"The references to Pakistan are unwarranted. I would like to emphatically state that we do not entirely share the U.S. assessment," Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tehimna Janjua said.
She said Pakistan has its own assessment of the strengths and weakness of the strategy and approach implemented by US/ISAF vis-a- vis counter terrorism and on issues of peace and security in Afghanistan.
She added that Pakistan has a clear strategy in dealing with these and other issues that is solely guided by its own national interests.
It is not the first U.S. criticism at Pakistan but Washington has long expressed frustration over Pakistan's reluctance to take on militants in the tribal areas.
In a report released in Oct. 2010, the White House accused the Pakistani military of continuing to avoid military engagements that would put it in direct confrontation with Afghan Taliban or al-Qaeda forces in North Waziristan tribal areas. But Pakistan insists that it can not open a new front as its forces are already engaged with the militants in several parts of the country and that the security forces also lack resources.
In January this year, a U.S. strategic review of the war said Pakistan must do more to defeat the militants.
Before the Foreign Ministry's reaction to the report,the army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas in reported remarks had also dismissed it and said that operations against militants have been a great success. Pakistanis always insist that they are proud of the progress the security forces have made against the militants.
The U.S. assessment about Pakistan's role shows its frustration and disappointment, which has annoyed Islamabad, which says its human losses are more than any country in the international coalition, analysts said. Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said that 30,000 Pakistanis have been killed in terrorist attacks in the country since the country joined the U.S.-led coalition in 2001.
Moreover, the White House report has been made public at a time when ties between the security agencies of the close allies have been tense.
The United States is aware of Pakistan's sensitivity and the April 7 visit to Pakistan by U.S. Central Command Commander Gen. James Mattis to consult with Pakistan's military leadership, was considered to be an attempt to remove the misunderstanding.
During his visit, Gen. Mattis met with Chief of the Army Staff, Gen. Ashfaq Kay ani and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen. Khalid Wynne and exchanged views on regional security issues, including the coalition effort in Afghanistan, the U.S. embassy spokesman said.
Pakistan's intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha is likely to visit the United States for similar talks.
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