Pak Army does not require foreign training: General Kayani

Islamabad, May 17 (ANI): Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Ashfaq Kayani, has said that the Army has a full range of counter-insurgency training facilities,and added and that it does not require any foreign training to tackle militancy.

"Except for very specialised weapons and equipment, high technology, no generalised foreign training is required," The Nation quoted General Kayani, as saying.

A statement issued by General Kayani stated that the Pakistan Army has a vast combat experience in the challenging terrains which makes it the best-suited force to operate in its own area.

General Kayani further said that the international community's remarks that the Army is inexperienced in fighting against the terrorists in the mountainous regions are unwarranted.

"The uncalled for aspersions of various quarters on our training methods or orientation are apparently due to lack of knowledge and understanding of our training system in vogue," he said.

General Kayani added that strategic decisions regarding where, when and how many troops are deployed in each operation or sector was "always a Pakistani decision based on objective analysis and our full understanding of threat spectrum".

Incidentally, the United States is reportedly sending special forces teams to Balochistan to accelerate training of the Pakistani military and enhance its counterinsurgency capabilities.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, senior US officials said that 25 to 50 Special Forces personnel were being deployed to two new training camps in Balochistan.

The official said that the deployments would "get more American eyes and ears" into the strategically important region. (ANI)