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| India-Pakistan |
| NATO denies relief troops hunting al-Qaeda in Pakistan |
| 2005-12-14 |
| The forces of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are not in Pakistan to chase al-Qaeda, says the man heading the NATO mission there. "Chasing al-Qaeda is neither our agenda nor our mandate," Air Commodore Andrew George Walton told the Pakistani daily Dawn at the Chaklala Airbase. NATO had deployed a 1,000-strong contingent to Pakistan - which includes engineers and doctors - in the wake of the 8 October earthquake. Some Pakistani opposition groups have voiced fears that the NATO relief contingent could lead to a long-term NATO presence in the area. Earlier this month however the Pakistani authorities said that they have told NATO they were not considering an extension when the alliance's 90-day mandate in Pakistan expires. Walton said that after accomplishing their short-term mission in Pakistan, the NATO forces would return to their headquarters and not travel to Afghanistan to take part in peace-keeping operations. He categorically rejected allegations that NATO had acquired land to establish bases in Kashmir. "No acquisition of any land has taken place in Kashmir or any other part of Pakistan, nor will it happen in the days ahead," he said. He said he had no funds for the purpose, which was also something beyond the mandate of the NATO forces here. Walton also added that the NATO forces were in the country by invitation of the Pakistani government to provide aid and support after the October earthquake. Their mission, he said, was disaster relief only and it was not involved in any other issues related to the Kashmir region. He said NATO engineers, medical personnel and helicopters would leave Pakistan after spending 90 days here. NATO had no intentions to stay here beyond the stipulated period and the withdrawal of the relief team was expected to be completed by Feb 1, 2006, he said. He said NATO through its air bridge had flown more than 2,300 tons of tents, blankets, stoves and food to Pakistan in more than 145 flights from Europe. The alliance's field hospital and mobile medical units in the Bagh area had treated more than 3,000 patients and continued to send mobile teams into the mountains, he said. The organisation’s engineers were working on roads between Arja and Bagh and on schools and medical facilities in the area, he said. They were supporting the Pakistan Army in ‘Operation Winter Race’ to set up shelters for the population living in the mountains before the snow set in, he said. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |