No guarantee from US to end air strikes in Pak

Islamabad, Nov 4 : The US has reportedly not guaranteed an end to the ongoing drone strikes in Pakistan aimed at Taliban and Al Qaeda militants, even as the leadership in Islamabad apprised US Central Command chief General David Petraeus that it could no longer tell its people to support the US-led war on terror in the wake of frequent violation of Pakistan's sovereignty through air strikes.

General David Petraeus, who is on an official visit to Pakistan, met a host of Pakistani leaders on Monday. It is his first visit after taking over his new assignment last week.

"Pakistani leaders told General Petraeus it is not possible to ask our people to support the war on terror when our sovereignty is violated every day," the Daily Times quoted sources familiar with the interaction, as saying.

US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher accompanied Petraeus.

According to an official statement, Zardari warned the US General that the missile strikes were 'counterproductive' and "difficult to explain by a democratically-elected government". "It is creating a credibility gap," he said.

"The president said that US leadership has affirmed respect for Pakistan's territorial integrity," the statement said.

Boucher and Petraeus also met Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani and National Security Adviser Mehmood Ali and senior US and Pakistani officials were also present.

Petraeus separately met with Gen Kayani and Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman General Tariq Majid, who told the US delegation that the two countries needed a "consensus strategy to deal with violent extremism" that "keeps in view the local perspective".

ANI