Pak can't get away with murder: Obama

Even as his envoy for South Asia Richard Holbrooke arrived in Pakistan, US President Barack Obama said in his first White House prime time news conference that his administration will not allow "safe havens" for militants in Pakistan's tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

"My bottom line is that we cannot allow al-Qaeda to operate," Obama said. "We cannot have those safe havens in that region. I'm not going to allow al-Qaeda or Osama bin Laden to operate with impunity, planning attacks on the US homeland. He added that Holbrooke would convey his message to Islamabad.

Obama said he had appointed Holbrooke as a special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan to give a new focus to dealing with terrorism. "I've sent over Richard Holbrooke - one of our top diplomats - to evaluate a regional approach. "We are going to need more effective coordination of our military efforts with diplomatic efforts, with development efforts, with more effective coordination with our allies in order for us to be successful."

The US president made it clear he regards Pakistan and Afghanistan, and not Iraq, as the major anti-terror front. Pakistan needed to know that "it's not acceptable" to have people in that region who kill innocent people with impunity, Obama said.

Obama specifically cited Pakistan for hosting terrorists, although the questioner at the interview had asked about safe havens in Afghanistan. He however gave the benefit of the doubt to the new civilian government of Pakistan, saying that President Zardari ''cares deeply about getting control of this situation, and we want to be effective partners with them on that issue''.

Obama said his administration is conducting a ''thorough-going review'' of its 'Af-Pak' policy, with General Petraeus, now the head of Centcom working in concert with Holbrooke ''to evaluate a regional approach.''

Among the options being considered by Obama are boosting US troop numbers in Afghanistan and making aid to Pakistan conditional on more solid cooperation in the fight against militants.

Defense secretary Robert Gates and other officials have indicated that any new strategy would be likely to abandon the ambitious goals of the previous administration to forge a democracy in the war-torn and impoverished country.

Holbrooke to tackle Kiyani
The US envoy arrived in Islamabad on the same day Poland said militants suspected in the apparent killing of one its citizens had the support of some Pakistani officials. Pakistan firmly rejected the accusation.

Holbrooke is expected to stay in Pakistan three days. "I am here to listen and learn the ground realities of this critically important country," Holbrooke said on his arrival. He had earlier said that the situation in Pakistan was "dire".

Pakistan is seeking an end to US remote missile strikes against al-Qaida targets in the border region, which have killed many civillians. Pakistan says this fans militancy, while it seeks more military aid and equipment to fight the spreading insurgency better.

Holbrooke began his official meetings on Tuesday morning with Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who read out a prepared statement welcoming his appointment.

Qureshi said the Obama presidency symbolised "change and hope" and that Holbrooke's experience would help him "understand our sensitivities and our concerns". Media were ushered out before any of the US officials spoke.

Holbrooke is expected to meet the country's top civillian and military leaders during his stay. Apart from the political leadership, he will meet the country's army chief, General Pervez Ashraf Kiyani for talks. By most perceptions, Kiyani is believed to hold the whip-hand over Pakistan's civillian dispensation. He is expected to visit Washington on 22 February.

Holbrooke will stay in Pakistan until Thursday, after which he and is due to visit Afghanistan and India.

Quaeda threatens India
An al Qaeda commander has warned India of more attacks like the recent assault on Mumbai if it retaliates against Pakistan, the BBC has reported.

In a video received by the BBC, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, commander of al Qaeda operations in Afghanistan, referred to India's "humiliation" over Mumbai and warned of more such attacks.

"India should know that it will have to pay a heavy price if it attacks Pakistan. The mujahideen will sunder your armies into the ground, like they did to the Russians in Afghanistan," the bespectacled Abu al-Yazid said.

In August, Pakistani television channels reported that Abu al-Yazid had been killed in fighting with Pakistani forces in the Bajaur tribal region.

According to the BBC report, Abu al-Yazid made no claim of responsibility for the Mumbai attack, nor did he make any reference to the perpetrators. But he called on Pakistanis to rise up and overthrow their government led by President Asif Ali Zardari.