Cannot shift forces from Indian border: Zardari

WASHINGTON: President Asif Ali Zardari has said Friday he was unable to provide details on the US aid sought for Pakistan during the regime of former President Pervez Musharraf as he was imprisoned during those days.

In an interview with a US newspaper, Zardari said “I have no details on the US aids extended to Pakistan in course of former president Musharraf’s regime because I was detained behind the bars”.

“Half of our army is deployed on Indo-Pak Eastern boarder and we cannot move army from there for their deployment on Western border”, President asserted maintaining, “We have pressed US for our long demand of Drone planes as our military’s offensive against countering insurgency could become rather effective if backed by unmanned war planes”.

US administrated have been demanded of Coalition Support Fund (CSF) for framing of a UN’s peace army-like system, he added.

Zardari was in Washington for talks Wednesday with US President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai on stepping up the fight against extremists seen as a growing threat in both countries.

President also said Islamabad has shifted an unspecified number of troops from its border with India to fight against the Taliban, largely holed up in Pakistan's porous western border region with Afghanistan.

"We have already done so," Zardari said when asked why Pakistan would not move troops from the eastern front.

He renewed his pledge to work for better relations with India, with which Pakistan has fought three full-fledged wars since the two countries' separation at birth in 1947.

"I've always considered India a neighbor which we want to improve our relationship with," Zardari said. "We've had some cold times and we've had some hot times with them, but democracies are always trying to improve relationships."

This news published by www.apakistannews.com