ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: The Commander of Nato forces in Pakistan, Air Commodore Andrew J. Walton, has said Nato will not maintain covert presence in Pakistan.

Talking to Dawn after addressing a press conference with Special Nato representative Ambassador Maurits Jochem and Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major Gen Shaukat Sultan, he said Nato forces had completely withdrawn from Kashmir and half of Nato personnel had already left Pakistan. He said Nato forces would completely withdraw from Pakistan in February.

He said Nato Disaster Relief Team had come at the request of the Pakistan government. He said there had been a lot of criticism on the role of Nato forces in Pakistan. He however said Nato forces were in Pakistan purely for disaster relief and apprehensions that purpose of their presence was to take control of Pakistan’s nuclear assets, chase Al-Qaeda operatives or establish a permanent base in Pakistan were baseless. He said the apprehensions were not disturbing for Nato as the people in the quake-hit areas were happy over its performance.