Mullen's visit may further sever US-Pak ties

While a section of Pakistani media has termed the visit of Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, to Pakistan as an effort to revive the complex relations between the two countries, the US official further put Pakistan into trouble when he blamed the latter's intelligence agency Inter Services Intelligence for contacts with the Haqqani Network.

Straight after his arrival in Islamabad on Wednesday Mullen asked Pakistan to take on the Haqqani Network, as 'the group is responsible for deteriorating law and order situation in Afghanistan.'

The visit came amid tensions between the two countries following the fatal shooting in January of two Pakistanis by Raymond Davis, a Central Intelligence Agency contractor.

Davis was later freed on the payment of compensation to the victims' families, but the case ignited a row over intelligence sharing, with the ISI demanding that the CIA provide more complete data about its operatives and their activities in the country.

Pakistan is also voicing protest against US drones strikes in the tribal belt which, according to Islamabad, has so far targeted the innocent people.

Such strikes increased anti-US sentiments in Pakistan and also made their lives difficult, they have claimed.

On Monday Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani called for an end to the drone strikes and said that the Americans should share information so that Pakistan will take actions against the militants on its own soil.

Similar were the remarks of Pakistani Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan who said on Wednesday that Pakistan would take up the issue of drone attacks in its territory with the visiting US delegation led by Admiral Mike Mullen.

"Pakistan has conveyed its concerns regarding drone attacks to the United States in the past and would present its viewpoint on this issue vigorously and convey the people's resentment," she said.

Mullen's visit is aimed to force Pakistan to take on the Haqqani Network and not to discuss the issue of US drone attacks in tribal areas of Pakistan.

Prior to Pakistan's visit, Mullen, during his stay in Afghanistan, said that they were strained due to Taliban's (and other fighters') alleged ties with the ISI.

Actually Taliban's spring offensive in Afghanistan has begun and the US has acknowledged that the Taliban have grown in strength in recent years and that the upcoming fighting season could be difficult for the US-led coalition.

Mullen told mediapersons in Afghanistan, "We are going to have a very tough year. I have been very straight with the American people on that. I think our losses, which were significant last year, will be significant this year as well."

The Haqqani Network has become very large, creating trouble for the US. Earlier the group was only limited to Khost and the surroundings of Paktika, but now it has extended its influence almost to Kabul.

Haqqani Network has many fighters from Waziristan, and during winter season, the key members of the group keep hiding in the lawless tribal built of Pakistan. The US since long is asking Pakistan to take on the group but Islamabad is not ready to fulfill American's demand.  

The visit of Mullen seems futile and it could further create tensions between the two allies. Since ISI has its objections over the growing activities of the CIA, it would never agree for any operation against the Haqqani Network.