US raises questions over Pak military's capability to counter extremism

Lahore, Apr.23 (ANI): The United States while expressing serious concerns over the Pakistan Government's decision to implement Islamic law is Swat Valley has raised questions over Pakistan army's capability to counter insurgency inside the country.

Senator Jack Reed, who accompanied another Senator Ted Kaufman on a visit to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq, said that the increasing writ of Taliban in the country posed the greatest threat to the region.

"This concession represents a serious development and reflects both the growing strength of the Pakistani Taliban and the inability of the Pakistani army to conduct successful counterinsurgency operations," The Daily Times quoted Reed, as saying.

Kaufman also agreed with the view of Reed and said that Pakistan military lacks both will and capability to pose a challenge to the extremists.

"It just makes me worry now that this is not just a will problem, this is a capability problem," he said.

Kaufman said that boosting aid to Pakistan was "absolutely essential" in order to enable the military fight the insurgents more effectively. (ANI)