Musharraf rejects US Centcom chiefs offer of aid for Swat

Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf has rejected US Central Command (Centcom) chief Admiral William J Fallons offer of assistance in eliminating Taliban elements in tribal areas and the troubled region of Swat in Waziristan Province.

Islamabad, Nov 3 : Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf has rejected US Central Command (Centcom) chief Admiral William J Fallon's offer of assistance in eliminating Taliban elements in tribal areas and the troubled region of Swat in Waziristan Province.

Musharraf told Admiral Fallon that the Pakistan Army is well equipped to contain any kind of challenge, adding that the presence of US forces would be highly disliked by the people of Pakistan, the Daily Times reported.

The President went on to say that US assistance for the elimination of terrorism from the Tribal Areas should remain confined to only intelligence sharing and technical assistance.

"The situation in Pakistan's Tribal Areas, Afghanistan, the ongoing operation in Swat, joint military exercises and other issues of professional interest were discussed in the meeting," the daily quoted diplomatic and government sources, as saying.

Admiral Fallon lauded Pakistan's efforts in the elimination of terror and said that the US would continue to provide assistance to Pakistan.

"The US wants a smooth transition to democracy and it will continue to encourage Pakistan through official and unofficial channels for this purpose," sources said.

They went on to say that it would be wrong to correlate Admiral Fallon's visit with the rumours of martial law and emergency.

"It has nothing to do with media reports that Fallon was here to convince Musharraf to avoid resorting to unconstitutional measures," the sources said.

According to an Inter Services Public Relations statement, Admiral Fallon also called on Vice Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani at the General Headquarters and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Tariq Majid at the Joint Staff Headquarters, and discussed matters of professional and mutual interest with them.

This was the first interaction of the US Centcom chief with the two top military officers of Pakistan after their elevation.

ANI