US urged to share information on Al-Zawahri

PAKISTAN has called on the US to share information about new al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri after US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said he believed that Osama bin Laden’s successor was in Pakistan.

During his first trip to Kabul as Pentagon chief, Panetta said he believed the al-Qaida leader was living in Pakistan’s lawless tribal belt on the Afghan border. The Pakistani military said its troops were already carrying out “intense operations” against al-Qaida and its affiliates as well as “terrorists leadership” and high value targets (HVTs) who pose a threat to Pakistan’s security.

“We expect US intelligence establishment to share available information and actionable intelligence regarding Al Zawahri and other HVTs with us, enabling Pakistan Army to carry out targeted operations,” a military spokesman said.