NEW YORK, June 13: Commenting on this week’s bombing by US forces on an area on the Pakistan-Afghan border killing 11 Pakistani soldiers and scores of civilians, the New York Times said on Friday: “Washington and Islamabad must now do everything they can to repair relations, starting with a joint investigation and a full and public report of its findings.”

The paper said the administration should ‘quietly discuss’ with Pakistan the creation of a small, unpublicised buffer zone in which the United States would not conduct attacks unless it had hard intelligence that top Al Qaeda figures were hiding there. “That could lessen the chances of more friendly fire incidents -- if that is what happened. The effort must go far beyond that. Since 9/11, the United States has poured $10 billion into Pakistan, mostly for former general Musharraf’s army. But it has not crushed Al Qaeda or shut down Taliban safe havens”.

The paper observed: “Pakistanis have a host of grievances against the

Americans, all made far worse by the Bush administration’s decision to back

President Pervez Musharraf long after he had squandered all of his popular support -- and any claim to loyalty.”

However, it also noted that Mr Musharraf and Pakistan’s new democratically elected leaders had also failed to tell their people the truth -- that the fight against extremists was essential for their own country’s stability and security.

The Pentagon already bars American forces in Afghanistan from crossing or firing into Pakistan except to protect themselves. One American official said a Pakistani liaison officer was alerted before the strikes so that friendly troops could get out of harm’s way. The investigation must determine whether those procedures were followed and if not, why not.

The Times said: “Seven years later, the administration still needs a comprehensive plan -- integrating diplomacy, intelligence, law enforcement and economic aid. That is the only way to help stabilise Pakistan, and tamp down anti-American furies. It is also the only chance of truly enlisting its support in the long fight against terrorism.”