Pakistan said Wednesday it was not privy to "precise" details on US military plans as at least three US aircraft carriers headed for unknown destinations ahead of possible strikes on Afghanistan.
Foreign office spokesman Riaz Mohammad Khan told reporters here that Washington had not shared details of its strategy with Islamabad, although Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has vowed his "full cooperation".
"The United States did not share precise plans of operations" being prepared against Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia and their ally, terror suspect Osama bin Laden.
Khan said Pakistan was "fully capable of defending itself" in case of retaliation from Afghanistan, but dismissed Taliban threats of war against any neighbor which supports US military operations.
"Pakistan has stood by Afghanistan in difficult circumstances and we do not consider that we have any threat from Afghanistan," Khan said.
"I again emphasize that this fight is not against Afghanistan or the Afghan people. The international community has committed itself to fight terrorism."
Khan said Musharraf was "fully conscious" of the risks of internal unrest from radical Pakistani Islamic groups with sympathies for the Taliban.
But he said the president has held consultative meetings with all sections of Pakistani society in a bid to patch together a consensus.
"Our support to the US president [George W. Bush] and government in the fight against terrorism is consistent with our long-standing position," he said.
Aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt was set Wednesday to leave port in Norfolk, Virginia accompanied by an escort of 11 warships and a unit of marines.
Two other battle groups led by aircraft carriers USS Enterprise and USS Carl Vinson are in the Indian Ocean, according to the navy -- ISLAMABAD (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
