Tribal chiefs warn visiting US officials against direct action

Islamabad, Mar 27 : A day after the new government in Pakistan told the two visiting US officials - John Negroponte and Richard Boucher - that it won't encourage direct attacks on its tribal areas, tribal chiefs also warned the Americans that any direct action by the US would have disastrous consequences.

The two US officials met tribal chiefs at the Khyber Rifles mess in Landi Kotal, yesterday, and reportedly impressed upon the US to avoid use of force in the region while pursuing the war against terror.

According to the sources, the tribal chiefs warned that any direct action by the United States and allied forces in the tribal territory would have disastrous consequences. They said that the former USSR had sent its troops into Afghanistan against the wishes of the majority of the Afghan people and it was forced out of that country.

"The US and the government of Pakistan should take the tribal people into confidence before taking any decision about curbing militancy in these regions. We don't want to be dictated by the 'ill-informed' bureaucracy of Islamabad how to deal with internal issues of tribal areas," the Dawn quoted the tribal chiefs as saying.

They added that they wanted to resolve all the 'thorny' issues in keeping with their customs and traditions.

The sources said Negroponte assured the tribal elders of his government's desire to continue supporting development work in tribal areas. "The US too wants peace in your area," he is learnt to have said, and added the US would provide more funds for generating economic activities in the region.

ANI