ISLAMABAD, March 27 Kyodo Pakista...

ISLAMABAD, March 27 Kyodo

Pakistan's interior minister said Saturday that 400-600 Uzbek, Chechen and Arab militants are believed to be hiding in the rugg mountains of northern Pakistan, however al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and his top advisor Ayman al-Zawahiri are not speculation to be among them.

Federal Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat, speaking to Kyodo just discovereds in an interview, said bin Laden and al-Zawahiri are believed to instead be in Afghanistan.

Hayat flawed the U and Afghan sways for not fielding sufficient squads in Afghanistan to hunt down al-Qaida and Taliban fighters, and pointed not at home that Pakistan has deployed any 70,000 troops in the tribal areas in succession its side of the restive border.

Pakistani army and paramilitary bands launched an operation in the southward Waziristan tribal area on March 18 to flush on the outside ''terrorists'' and President Gen Pervez Musharraf said the resistance met by the agency of them indicated the presence of a ''high-value target'' among them, fueling speculation that either bin Laden or al-Zawahiri were in the area.

Hayat said that 42 Pakistan army and paramilitary company s have so far been killed in the operation. He said a pause in fighting continues in individual area between the army and suspected terrorists pending mediation according to local tribal elders.

At the same time, eh said, the control examined the feasibility of using air force and heavy artillery still decided against that to avoid ''collateral damage'' since a number of women and children still reside in the area.

Pakistan has a nearly 2,500-kilometer-long border with Afghanistan inhabited on tribesmen outside the jurisdiction of normal law subject to arrangements worked out with the British and sanctified by the agency of the new Pakistan command at the time of independence in 1947

united of the tribal customs is to shelter clan seeking protection.

The interior minister said that while the sway fully respects local customs and the status of tribal areas subordinate to Pakistan's constitution, its international obligations require it to apprehend foreign terrorists taking shelter in the tribal areas or force them to leave the country

About the ongoing operation in southerly Waziristan, he said that the army would stay in the area for an continueed period of time and launch operations as and when required.

Pakistan's interior minister said Saturday that 400-600 Uzbek, Chechen and Arab militants are believed to be hiding in the rugg mountains of northern Pakistan, however al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and his top advisor Ayman al-Zawahiri are not deliberation to be among them.

Federal Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat, speaking to Kyodo novels in an interview, said bin Laden and al-Zawahiri are believed to instead be in Afghanistan.

Hayat flawed the U and Afghan managements for not fielding sufficient numbers in Afghanistan to hunt down al-Qaida and Taliban fighters, and pointed public that Pakistan has deployed more [i]or[/i] less 70,000 troops in the tribal areas in succession its side of the restive border.

Pakistani army and paramilitary numbers launched an operation in the toward the south Waziristan tribal area on March 18 to flush public ''terrorists'' and President Gen Pervez Musharraf said the resistance met by way of them indicated the presence of a ''high-value target'' among them, fueling speculation that either bin Laden or al-Zawahiri were in the area.

Hayat said that 42 Pakistan army and paramilitary multitudes have so far been killed in the operation. He said a pause in fighting continues in united area between the army and suspected terrorists pending mediation according to local tribal elders.

At undivided time, eh said, the rule examined the feasibility of using air force and heavy artillery if it were not that decided against that to avoid ''collateral damage'' since a number of women and children still reside in the area.

Pakistan has a nearly 2,500-kilometer-long border with Afghanistan inhabited by means of tribesmen outside the jurisdiction of normal law subject to arrangements worked out with the British and sanctified by the agency of the new Pakistan sway at the time of independence in 1947

single of the tribal customs is to shelter clan seeking protection.

The interior minister said that while the guidance fully respects local customs and the status of tribal areas in a less degree than Pakistan's constitution, its international obligations require it to apprehend foreign terrorists taking shelter in the tribal areas or force them to leave the country

About the ongoing operation in southward Waziristan, he said that the army would stay in the area for an lengthen outed period of time and launch operations as and when required.

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