WASHINGTON, April 30: Al Qaeda’s continued calls for the overthrow of President Gen Pervez Musharraf remained a threat to Pakistan, despite the government’s efforts to eliminate AQ elements, says a US State Department report released on Monday.
About 900 Pakistanis lost their lives in more than 650 terror attacks in 2006, with another 1,500 people seriously injured, says the report which was sent to the US Congress as a policy paper.
“Pakistan also remains a major source of Islamic extremism and a safe haven for some top terrorist leaders,” the report warned.
The State Department noted that Pakistan continued to pursue AQ and its allies aggressively through nationwide police action and military operations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
The report, however, pointed out that “despite having approximately 80,000 troops in the FATA, including Army and Frontier Corps units, the Government of Pakistan has been unable to exert control over the area.” The report acknowledged that Pakistan executed effective counterterrorism cooperation and captured or killed many terrorists during 20006-07.
