Pak ready to address US Haqqanis

At a meeting chaired by army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in Rawalpindi on Friday, Pakistan`s top army commanders expressed their willingness to lower tensions with the US by narrowing down differences on the Haqqani network, The Express Tribune newspaper quoted its sources as saying. "Pakistan wants a constructive engagement with the US to deal with the Haqqani issue," an unnamed official familiar with the development said.

The official ruled out the possibility of a military operation in North Waziristan Agency. "Use of force is not the answer to every problem," the official said, repeating a recent statement by Kayani.

Addressing troops participating in a Pakistan-Saudi Arabia joint military exercise in Mangla on Thursday, Kayani reportedly said military operations were not the ideal way of dealing with every issue. His remarks are being seen as Pakistan`s hardening stance on conducting operations in North Waziristan despite mounting US pressure. It is unclear what exactly Pakistan is offering to the US as an alternative to a military operation to deal with the Haqqanis, the report said.