US worried Pak coalition partners' squabbling undermining war-on-terror

Islamabad, July 1 : The federal coalition partners in the Pakistan government, particularly the PPP and the PML-N, should bury their differences and work towards resolving the pending matters, including the judges' issue, and concentrate on controlling the evolving situation in FATA, said US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher.

The US official said that the coalition partners should be on the same wavelength while dealing with critical matters like that of deposed judges.

He expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in FATA, and said that the government was not concentrating on the problem because of the judges' issue and a cold war among coalition partners, reported the Dawn.

Boucher, on a three-day visit to Islamabad, spent a busy day yesterday meeting Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Prime Minister's Adviser on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik, former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani.

He is likely to meet President Pervez Musharraf today.

Sources said that during his meetings with Gilani, Boucher conveyed the concern of the United States over the law and order situation and an increase in militancy in the tribal areas.

In his meeting with Prime Minister Gilani, Boucher said the US had great interest in the success of the democratic government and economic well-being of the people of Pakistan. He said the US was ready to help resettle over two million Afghan refugees in their country. US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson and US President's Special Assistant Mark Webber also attended the meeting.

ANI