Pak Army's tactics of relying on airstrikes against Mehsud may be ineffective: Report

Lahore, July 12 (ANI): The Pakistan Army might have been planning an all out offensive against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud in his stronghold, South Waziristan, but according to a report in an US daily, this planned operation won't yield the desired results and is unlikely to be effective in eliminating the Taliban leadership.

Failure to gain substantial ground against the Taliban and nab the warlord would certainly disappoint the country's western allies, a report in the US-based McClatchy newspaper said.

The report said the Pakistan military would rely largely on airstrikes in the operation against Mehsud than the on-ground combat, The Daily Times reports.

But this approach is likely to be ineffective, the report quoted some Pakistani officials and analysts, as saying.

"The nature of the operation is totally different from what we did in Swat," a top Pakistan Army official said on conditions of anonymity.

"It is just blocking the entrance. Nothing goes in, nothing comes out. We'll keep punishing the enemy with long arms, air power, Cobra helicopters. The tactics have been reversed. Initially they (the Taliban) used to wear us out, now the army is planning to wear them out," he added.

The tactics of using air power would not quell militancy completely, and in that case it would certainly raise questions over Islamabad's ability and commitment against the insurgents, the report said. (ANI)