ISLAMABAD, Sept 13: Pakistan’s army can still carry out ‘surgical strikes’ if there is ‘militant activity’ in the North Waziristan region, a senior official said on Wednesday, referring to a pact to end fighting with pro-Taliban tribesmen.

Critics of the accord say the government had virtually caved in to the militants’ demands and the strategy risked creating a safe haven in North Waziristan for Taliban insurgents, who are fighting the government in Afghanistan, and their al Qaeda allies.

“This agreement does not debar us from taking surgical action,” a senior government official told Western journalists at a briefing on Pakistan’s counter-terrorism strategy.

Under the terms of the treaty, some foreign militants, who were unable to return to their homelands, would be ‘allowed’ to stay in North Waziristan provided they ‘abided by the law’.

But the official said the treaty did not stop Pakistani security forces from arresting anyone on a wanted list compiled by the Afghan, Pakistani and US governments.

“It’s a very long list,” said the official, who declined to be identified.

Aside from Pakistani and Afghan Taliban, Arabs, Chechens and Central Asians are said to be hiding in the Waziristan area. Critics of the accord also say the tribal signatories did not represent some of the most active militant leaders in the region.

The official dismissed suggestions that militants could simply drive to neighbouring areas and cross into Afghanistan from there, saying they would be stopped by paramilitary forces.

With President Pervez Musharraf due to visit the United States this month, Pakistan is keen to avoid a repetition of the embarrassing row that broke out during President Bush’s visit to Pakistan in March over Afghan accusations that the Pakistanis were not doing enough to curb the insurgency.

The official said Pakistan had caught and handed over 104 Taliban members to Afghanistan, although its record against Al Qaeda suspects appeared far better, with 709 caught, of whom 542 had been extradited, and 123 released after being cleared.

He said it was harder to identify Taliban as they easily merged into the Pashtun population in border provinces, while it was easier to spot foreigners from Al Qaeda.—Reuters