ISLAMABAD - PAKISTAN is suspending a major military operation against insurgents during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a top official said on Sunday, adding that the country is not taking orders from the United States in its fight against militancy.
The comments by Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik indicated Pakistan's main ruling party is eager to avoid being seen as too pro-American as it tries to put together a new governing coalition in the face of escalating militant violence.
'We are fighting this war. This is our war. There is no question of America's dictation,' he said. He added that security forces would still retaliate against any militant attacks staged in the Bajur tribal region after the operation there is suspended early on Monday.
A spokesman for the military said it had not yet received a formal suspension order.
The US has pushed Pakistan to crack down on militants in its northwest tribal regions, fearing Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked fighters involved in attacks on American and NATO forces in Afghanistan use those areas as safe zones.
Pakistan's five-month-old government at first tried peace talks with militants, but those efforts bore little fruit. It has turned to force in recent weeks, including using air power to strike insurgent hide-outs.
The operation in Bajur, a rumored hide-out of Osama bin Laden, has killed 562 Islamist insurgents and displaced more than 300,000 people, Mr Malik said.
The government has faced political turbulence at the same time. A united ruling coalition forced Pervez Musharraf - the longtime US ally in the war on terror - to quit the presidency on Aug 18. The coalition then rapidly fell apart over disputes about Mr Musharraf's successor and how to reinstate judges he fired last year.
Asif Ali Zardari, the head of the main ruling Pakistan People's Party and the widower of slain ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, is considered the favorite to win lawmakers' votes for the presidency on Sept 6.
The People's Party is considered generally in line with USgoals in the war on terror, but because of deep anti-American sentiment in Pakistan, it has to tread carefully when it approaches the subject.
Many Pakistanis blame the rising violence in their country on Mr Musharraf's decision to support US efforts to battle militants in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Violence A string of suicide bombings has rattled Pakistan in recent days.
One attack killed 67 at a major weapons manufacturing complex. The Pakistani Taleban have taken credit, calling the attacks revenge for military operations in Bajur and the Swat Valley area.
Mr Malik said the Bajur operation would be suspended, but a decision on Swat required notices by the provincial government. Wajid Ali Khan, a top official with the North West Frontier Province, said a decision could come later on Sunday.
'The operation in Swat is in high gear, but the holy month's sanctity requires that people spend it in peace and harmony,' Mr Khan said, adding, 'It shouldn't be a one-way affair.'
The army said at least 40 Taleban were killed on Friday when fighter jets pounded militants in the valley, once a popular tourist destination.
A spokesman said the military had not been informed of any Ramadan suspension.
'Officially, it has not been conveyed as yet, but if the government has ordered a stop to the operation, security forces will act accordingly,' Major Murad Khan said on Sunday.
It has been nearly impossible to confirm the death tolls and the scope of either the Bajur or Swat violence because of the dangerous and remote nature of the areas. Officials have not given any statistics on civilian deaths, though witnesses have reported dozens.
Since the Bajur operation began nearly a month ago, many of the displaced - including large numbers of women and children - are now living in sweltering, mosquito-infested relief camps in conditions that have alarmed aid groups.
Mr Malik said the displaced from Bajur should feel free to return 'without any fear' for Ramadan, but nonetheless did not commit to an end to the operation. -- AP
