“According to him, the problem of refugees, if not handled properly, could become another breeding ground for the Taliban.

“I think the number of IDPs (internally displaced people) if they are, if they hold the government responsible for their plight, obviously offer the chance for a greater unrest,” he said.

He said, “I think right now the sense is they hold the Taliban, the insurgents responsible. But I think that's got to be worked hard by the Pakistani government with whatever help the world can give.”

He was responding to a question from Senator Kay Hagan about the type of counter-insurgency and cross-border strategy US should adopt along with the Pakistan Army so as to deny the Taliban and Al Qeada safe havens there.

Referring to her meeting with the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, last week the Senator Hagan said that al Qaeda's presence in Afghanistan is really shifted to Pakistan's federally administered tribal area and specifically in Waziristan.

“Compounding the problem is that the Afghan Taliban high command dwells in Quetta inside Pakistan's Baluchistan province. The increased US ground strength in Afghanistan coupled with the corruption with the Pakistan army and frontier corps are critical in depriving al Qaeda and the Taliban of safe havens in Pakistan and preventing the cross border attacks,” she said.