By Imdad Hussain

    ISLAMABAD, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Over the issue of military operation against Taliban militants in Pakistan's tribal area, the United States and Pakistan seemed divided as the latter would prefer to pursue its own national interest, said Pakistani analysts.

    Political analyst Farrukh Salim told Xinhua on Thursday that Pakistan and the U.S. have divergent interests as Pakistan wants to target the militant groups who are creating trouble for Pakistan and are responsible for violence in the country.

    A suicide hit killed seven CIA employees on Dec. 30, 2009 in Afghanistan. The attack was allegedly linked to the Taliban network run by Sirajuddin Haqqani who bases itself in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal area bordering Afghanistan.

    It was reported that American officials have stepped up pressure on Pakistan to root out the Haqqani network, whose fighters pose one of the greatest threats to American forces in Afghanistan.

    However, Pakistani officials claimed that Haqqani has not attacked the Pakistani state.

    Defence analyst Rahimullah Yousafzai said that the Pakistani government has signed an agreement with Malvi Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazir, chiefs of two separate strong groups of Taliban based in North Waziristan, to isolate Hakemmulah Mehsood, the Tehrek-e-Taliban chief based in abutting South Waziristan.

    "So at this moment when problems of militancy is going on in other parts of the country, operation against Haqqani is not possible as that may turn the two groups in North Waziristan against the country, and thus would increase difficulties of the government and the military already engaged on several fronts," Yousafzai said.

    Pakistan launched a series of operations against the violent militants in Bajaur Agency, South Waziristan, Khyber Agency, Kurram Agency and other areas in the Federal Administered Tribal Area (FATA) in 2009. Washington said Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants who fled Afghanistan after the 2001 U.S.-led invasion were holed up in the semi-autonomous tribal belt.

    Mehmood Shah, defense analyst and former secretary of FATA, told Xinhua that Pakistan would not carry out operation in North Waziristan as it is more important to clear off other tribal areas which are adjacent to Peshawar, the capital of the North West Frontier Province, where the militants penetrated to other cities of the country.

    Pakistani army spokesman Athar Abbas, the Director General of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed that Pakistan itself would decide areas of its operation and no pressure in this connection would be accepted from outside.

    "As the prime minister said Pakistan would decide area of operation on its own if needed and we have yet to consolidate other restive areas," the army spokesman told Xinhua.

    But political observers said that omen of the American pressure is not good for security in the country despite Pakistan's unwillingness to carry out military operation in North Waziristan. The U.S. indication toward North Waziristan meant increased drone attacks in the agency and other parts of FATA, which would cause more violence and casualties across Pakistan.

    The U.S. Republican Senator John McCain said on Thursday that the use of drone strikes against suspected militants in Pakistan is an effective part of the U.S. strategy and it would continue in Pakistani tribal areas.

    "17 drone attacks were carried out against areas in Pakistan in2008, 43 carried out in 2009 and in 2010 more than 70 drone attacks are expected. Such attacks always trigger violence, suicide attacks and casualties in Pakistan. So more drone attacks mean more violence in Pakistan," Salim said.

    Agreeing with Salim, Yousafzai said Pakistan has the capability to bring down the intruding U.S. drone but such an act would be considered as hostile by America, and being a closest ally of NATO, the country is expected to remain steadfast in the war on terror.

    It is a dilemma for Pakistan, he said.