US to reduce role in Pakistan

The US has more than 200 troops in Pakistan helping to train the army. But the number of intelligence and special forces operatives in the country is not known.

Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said the US has been working to reduce the number for the past two weeks, but he did not mention withdrawal of intelligence operatives or ceasing drone strikes.

“We were recently, within the last two weeks, notified in writing that the government of Pakistan wished for the US to reduce its footprint in Pakistan. Accordingly, we have begun those reductions,” Colonel Lapan said.

The move comes amid rising instability in the country and a growing number of attacks by the Pakistani Taliban. The latest was an assault on a major naval air base in Karachi on Monday that killed 13 military officials.

Signalling deep cynicism about US activities within Pakistan former ISI boss Hamid Gul told Channel 4 News that he was “100 per cent sure” that it was an “American operation.”

Read more: Karachi attack a 'US operation' says former ISI boss

But the Pakistani Taliban claimed the Karachi attack was a direct response to the unilateral raid by US commandos that killed Osama bin Laden on 2 May in Abbottabad, home to a military academy

President Barack Obama’s administration has stepped up diplomatic efforts to smooth over the crisis sparked by the raid on the al-Qaeda leader’s compound, while some lawmakers in Congress have called for cutting aid to Islamabad.

Since the bin Laden operation, the United States has kept up CIA drone strikes on militant targets in Pakistan’s north west.

The bombing raids are deeply unpopular and often draw public criticism from Pakistani officials.

Last weekend former cricket great and chairman of the Tehreek-e-Insaf party (Movement for Justice) Imran Khan led around 6,000 protesters in Karachi demanding an end to US drone strikes on Pakistani soil.

It is a fixed match between the government, army and America. Imran Khan

Also in Karachi, thousands of anti-US protesters have gathered since Saturday near the port of Pakistan’s largest city to stage a two-day sit-in against what they regard as violations of Pakistan’s territory by US and NATO forces.

Imran Khan said that the “war on terror” is not Pakistan’s war and said he blamed the government for supporting the strikes.

“On the face of it, they always condemned drone attacks but, underhand, they have given the Americans permission,” Khan said before joining the sit-in in the port area.

Read More: Drone warfare special report

“Twice the parliament has passed resolutions condemning drone attacks and each time within 24 hours there have been drone attacks.”

“So there is total disregard to the democratic representatives of Pakistan, and thirdly, it is violation of all humanitarian laws, it violates every human law because no law allows anyone to become judge, jury and executioner.

“It is a fixed match between the government, army and America,” he said.