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Pakistan agrees to multinational force on its territory

Pakistan on Saturday agreed to allow a multinational military force to be stationed on its territory.

This decision came as Islamabad pledged to 'fully cooperate' with the United States in its campaign against terrorists responsible for the World Trade Centre and Pentagon attacks.

But the Pakistani foreign ministry said it did not expect its forces to be deployed outside the country.

Pakistan would comply with all Security Council resolutions against terrorism, the foreign ministry added.

The Pakistani cabinet and National Security Council met President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday and gave him the authority to 'help the international community fight terrorism'.

A foreign ministry spokesman said the government would 'hold consultations with the Pakistani people' to build a consensus for the decision.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell is understood to have given General Musharraf a 'wish list' of actions when they spoke earlier this week. It is understood that on the list is providing US aircraft access to Pakistani airspace, sealing Pakistan's borders with Afghanistan, sharing Pakistani intelligence about Afghanistan's ruling Taleban movement and fugitive Osama bin Laden, among other things.

Enormous domestic pressure on Gen Musharraf, observers believe, means Pakistan's cooperation could be limited to providing some intelligence on Laden and the Taleban, both of whom are close to the nation's Inter-Service Intelligence agency.

Extremist politicians in Pakistan have threatened to bring down the Musharraf government if it actively participates in a military campaign against the Taleban and Laden.

Several Pakistani generals are also understood to be opposed to assisting the Americans with whatever they have planned in Afghanistan.

But Gen Musharraf may not have much leeway in the matter after Powell asked him to make a choice: 'You are either with us or against us,' the secretary of state is reported to have said.

Earlier on Saturday, the Taleban warned that it would wage war against any country that allows its territory to be used to help the US attack Afghanistan. Though some observers believe the warning was directed against India, which has expressed its willingness to assist the American campaign, others believe the Taleban was sending a message to its old sponsor, Pakistan.

The ISI actively helped form the Taleban in 1994 to fight the Burhanuddin Rabbani government then ruling Kabul.

"If neighbouring countries, particularly Islamic countries, give a positive response to the American demand for military bases, it would spark up extraordinary danger," Taleban spokesman Sohail Shaheen said in Islamabad.

"Similarly, if any neighbouring country gives territorial way or airspace to the USA against our land, it would draw us into an imposed war."

In an interesting development on Saturday, the United Arab Emirates -- which along with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are the only nations to recognise the Taleban -- announced its decision to reconsider its relationship with the Taleban.

Just before convening a meeting of the National Security Council on Saturday afternoon, President George W Bush told reporters at Camp David that the US would "smoke out bin Laden wherever he sneaks out to hide".

EARLIER REPORTS:
Pakistan may permit use of airspace only
Musharraf to meet religious and political leaders

The Attack on America: The Complete Coverage

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