WASHINGTON: The US military chief has praised Pakistan’s commitment to fighting the militants but has conceded that to eradicate militancy from the region Afghanistan will have to set its house right.

At a briefing at Washington’s National Press Club, Admiral Mike Mullen recognised Pakistan’s concerns towards India, acknowledging that such concerns ‘cannot be wished away’.

‘We are extremely concerned about the level of corruption and the legitimacy of this (Afghan) government,’ said the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, adding that Afghanistan’s newly re-elected President Hamid Karzai must take significant measures to cut government corruption and establish its legitimacy.

He noted that Pakistan had deployed 30,000 troops in South Waziristan which he described as ‘the heart of the enemy territory’.

‘It’s a very tough fight … and I think it’s going to continue to be a very tough fight, but he (Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani) clearly, and the leadership, recognises the seriousness of the situation,’ he added.

‘And if you just look at the bombings that have occurred in the last couple of weeks — and more and more Pakistani citizens who are getting killed — and I think they are responding in recognition of the seriousness of this extremist group.’

In Afghanistan, he noted, the situation was not good as the Afghan government lacked the legitimacy it needed to win the fight against the extremists.

‘You have to have governance, not just in Kabul … but we also have to have it in provinces, in districts and the sub-districts,’ Admiral Mullen said. ‘The legitimacy really needs to be in the eyes of the Afghan people. That is, at best, in question and, at worst, doesn’t exist.’

His criticism of the Afghan government, and the praise for Pakistan’s efforts, come as the Obama administration works on a new US strategy for the region, which includes weighing a request from the top US commander there for additional troops.

But Mullen warned that no troops can win this war alone.

‘If we don’t get a level of legitimacy and governance, then all the troops in the world aren’t going to make any difference,’ he said. Roughly 67,000 US forces and 42,000 allied troops are in Afghanistan.

His remarks on Pakistan’s concerns about India also reflect a realisation in Washington that no US persuasion can force Islamabad to disregard the Indian threat, whether perceived or real.

‘They’re still very concerned about India. That’s not going to go away overnight and we’re not going to wish that away,’ said the admiral.

Mr Mullen, who has made several trips to the region, said the terrorist threat from Fata had been rendered a little off balance, following recent anti-militant actions. The US and its allies should continue to pressure terrorists.

‘So we’ve got to ensure that we don’t lose focus there and we are able to, in my view, sustain this relationship with Pakistan.’

Admiral Mullen said that people in both Pakistan and Afghanistan still had concerns about the US commitment to their region.

‘And when I go to Pakistan and Afghanistan, one of the first questions either asked or the question that is always on their lips is, are you leaving this time, are you going to abandon us again? Which we’ve done, so we’ve got — we’ve been there before and I think we’ve got obligations and responsibilities based on that before.’

‘Pakistan’s concerns about India reflect a realisation in Washington that no US persuasion can force Islamabad to disregard the Indian threat’.