Calling Pakistan a "thriving sanctuary" for Al-Qaeda militants operating in Afghanistan, a prominent US think tank has said Islamabad is unwilling to cooperate with Washington to manage the "jihadist" problem.

"It (Pakistan) is a thriving sanctuary for both Afghan and Al-Qaeda militants operating in Afghanistan. At the same time, Pakistan contains the primary supply lines for US and NATO troops fighting those militants in Afghanistan," Stratfor, the think tank, said.

"Pakistani government is aware of the dangers posed to the country by the jihadist insurgency, particularly as attacks spread beyond the Pashtun borderlands and reach deeper into the Pakistani heartland of Punjab province," it said.

Pakistan does not appear to be any closer to seeing eye-to-eye with the Americans on how to manage the jihadist problem, it said.

"Unless something changes in Pakistan, the US plan for Afghanistan will be riddled with strategic flaws," Stratfor said.

It said Pakistani Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces are now focusing much of their attention on attacking NATO supply convoys inside Pakistan.

Stratfor's comments came when Richard Holbrooke, the Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen were in Islamabad holding talks with Pakistani leadership.

The US strongly disapproves of Pakistani military and political leader's decision to strike deals with the Pakistani Taliban that aim to redirect the group's focus from Pakistan back to Afghanistan, Stratfor said.

But the Pakistani intelligence, who has a history with these militants, is not convinced that the US, despite its promised commitment of development in Pakistan and Afghanistan development, will keep its troops in South Asia for the long haul, it said.

... contd.