Attack on Pakistan before 20th feared

FORMER ISI Chief General (r) Hameed Gul warned that there are such information and evidence which indicate that the US forces may launch strike on tribal areas before July 20. He said that US forces had already launched 46 attacks on Pak territories but this one would be different and more furious than the previous attacks. He was talking to a private TV channel.

He said it was also feared that the Americans might capture some part of our tribal belt. He opined that the present situation in the tribal areas had been caused by US occupation of Afghanistan and the US interference had reached its peak now, which calls for a quick decision by all the political parties whether to side with the aggressive world forces or with the forces protecting our independence.

He said the government had overlooked the mandate given by the people on Feb 18 and had retained the US Viceroy Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf in power. He was of the view that Pakistan was in a state of war at present and defending the tribal areas was the constitutional obligation of the government.

He said that the American jets were collecting information to prepare for the attack. "If political leadership failed to check the expected aggression and did not protest against it, Pakistan would fall prey to civil anarchy and the political parties too would not be able to survive," he opined.

The former General also warned that the US not only wished to bring Pakistan's nuclear proficiency to an end, but also its national values which the US considers as more dangerous than the nuclear power.

He suggested to political leadership to warn the US to keep her war limited and not to extend it to Pakistan.