ISLAMABAD, Oct 11 (Reuters): Pakistan said today US military personnel had arrived in the country but stressed it was committed to providing only logistical support for the US,led strikes on Afghanistan.
News of the deployment, the first on Pakistani soil, came after the most intense night of bombing on neighbouring Afghanistan since US raids on the Taliban and their guest, Osama bin Laden, began on Sunday night.
Asked if US military personnel were already on the ground, government spokesman major-general Rashid Qureshi told Reuters: "I dont think theyre combat troops." Pakistan, he said, was providing logistical support to the United States as it led military strikes against Taliban targets in Afghanistan.
"Pakistan has implemented its support and cooperation in providing logistical support, were not going to go into details," he added.
Pakistan media reports have said US military aircraft and personnel had been seen at Jacobabad airport in Southern Sindh province, a facility used by both military and commercial flights.
Other reports suggest an airport at Pasni, on the Arabian sea coast in Arid Baluchistan province, was also being used.
Local sources said security around the airport had been increased and commercial flights halted to the remote town.
"(Pasni) airport is closed for civilian use and they (security) are not allowing anybody to go near the airport," one witness told Reuters.
The business recorder daily said US marines, aircraft and helicopters had arrived at both locations and units of the Pakistan army had been called out to boost security in Jacobabad.
The dawn newspaper, quoting witnesses, said at least 10 US military aircraft, three helicopters and dozens of military personnel had been seen at Jacobabad.
A senior official at Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said the national carrier continued to fly into Jacobabad "but they are not allowing aircraft to stay at the airport for a long time".
Qureshi, top spokesman for military ruler general Pervez Musharraf, declined to say who the US military personnel were.
"Im sorry thats an area that Im not authorised to disclose," he said.
"However, we also know that there are no offensive operations that are going to be launched (from Pakistan).
"Beyond that we dont want to disclose what sort of logistic support because that would be talking about tactical plans and we dont want to Jeopardise the forces," he said.
Musharraf has been walking a political tightrope as he offers support to the US war on terrorism and grapples with swelling unrest, especially among pro-Taliban Islamic groups.
Islamabad has promised to assist Washington in sharing intelligence, allowing the use of its airspace and providing unspecified logistical support.
US warplanes stepped up their bombardment of Afghanistan overnight, the fourth straight day of raids.
Residents in the Afghan capital, Kabul, said yesterday nights bombing was the heaviest yet.
Anti-aircraft fire blazed away as jets screamed overhead and bombs and missiles struck targets around the city, including the airport and near a central residential area.