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ShareISLAMABAD: The US must address Pakistan's concerns about a possible troop surge in Afghanistan and ensure that its new Afghan policy does not disturb the regional balance in South Asia, prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said today.
Gilani made the remarks during a meeting with US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief Leon Panetta, who arrived here for talks with the top Pakistani civil and military leadership.
"The US policy towards Afghanistan must take into account Pakistan's concerns relating to the possible surge of US and ISAF forces in Afghanistan, which may entail negative implications for the situation in Balochistan," Gilani said.
The premier also "stressed that the new Afghan policy of the US government should not disturb the regional balance in South Asia", said a statement issued by Gilani's office.
Over the past few weeks, Pakistan has frequently accused India of fomenting unrest in the southwestern province of Balochistan, which has witnessed an upsurge of violence by nationalist groups demanding a greater say in decision-making. India has denied the Pakistani accusations.
Pakistan has also conveyed its concerns about a troops surge in Afghanistan to the US, saying it could prompt Taliban fighters across the border to sneak into its territory.During his talks with Panetta, Gilani emphasised that the US "must fully share the contours of its roadmap towards Afghanistan and ensure the incorporation of Pakistan's input in it".
"It is imperative to remove misgivings, build trust and seek to align the respective strategic concepts of both Pakistan and the US to steadfastly move forward in the strategic partnership between the two countries," Gilani said. He called for close coordination between the intelligence agencies of both countries to "effectively counter the prevalent misperceptions in the relationship".
Panetta, who also met Inter-Services Intelligence agency chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, told Gilani that the US is "fully conscious of Pakistan's pivotal role in the war against terrorism and in the restoration of stability in Afghanistan".
The US considers Pakistan a strategic partner with whom it wants to build a "long term and sustained relationship even beyond the cooperation in countering the militancy and extremism", he said.
Panetta agreed with Gilani's suggestion that operational functioning between the two militaries and intelligence agencies is the need of the hour for eliminating terrorism. Panetta's visit was kept low key apparently due to security concerns. He is also expected to meet president Asif Ali Zardari and army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.
