Patience running out,US wants to expand drone ops in Pak

“If they (Pakistan) understand our side,they know the patience is running out,” a senior NATO military official was quoted as saying by the Post.

The situation is reflective of the concern that the US war effort in Afghanistan is being undermined by the militants continued ability to take sanctuary across the border.

Pakistan,however,has resisted the request so far.

“Senior Pakistani officials expressed resentment over what they described as misplaced US pressure to do more,saying the United States has not controlled the Afghan side of the border,is preoccupied by arbitrary military deadlines and has little regard for Pakistan’s internal security problems,” the daily said.

“You expect us to open the skies for anything that you can fly,” a high-ranking Pakistani intelligence official,who described the Quetta request as an affront to Pakistani sovereignty said.

“In which country can you do that?” he asked.

In the last few months,CIA’s drone campaign has expanded drastically,but Pakistan has placed strict boundaries on where CIA drones can fly.

The unmanned aircraft may patrol designated flight “boxes” over the country’s tribal belt but not other provinces,including Baluchistan,which encompasses Quetta,it said.

“They want to increase the size of the boxes,they want to relocate the boxes,” a second Pakistani intelligence official was quoted as saying.

“I don’t think we are going to go any further,” the official said.

According to the newspaper,Pakistani officials argue that Quetta is a densely populated city where an errant strike is more likely to kill innocent civilians,potentially provoking a backlash.

Unlike the semi-autonomous tribal territories,is considered a core part of Pakistan,the paper said.

“The US appeal has focused on the area surrounding the Pakistani city of Quetta,where the Afghan Taliban leadership is thought to be based.

“But the request also seeks to expand the boundaries for drone strikes in the tribal areas,which have been targeted in 101 attacks this year,” officials said according to the paper.