Afghanistan has asked the United States and NATO on Wednesday to end night raids on Afghan homes. President Hamid Karzai while addressing 2,000 Afghan political and community leaders at the Loya Jirga said, “We want a strategic partnership but with specific conditions: our national integrity, no night raids, and no house searches.” Social research groups have warned that the night raids targeting insurgents risked endangering civilians, and were causing resentment amongst the Afghan population.

A strategic partnership agreement underway between Washington and Kabul is considering terms of American involvement in Afghanistan after the deadline for exit in 2014. Karzai at a jirga meeting said the American troops are likely to be given bases as it would aide in the training of Afghan troops and would draw in money. However end to night raids has been laid down as a precondition.

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An army official was killed in a clash between militants and Pakistani troops at the Marazan checkpost in the Central Khurram Agency. 60 militants launched an attack on security forces late Tuesday night, in retaliation to the military offensive being carried out in the tribal belt. More than 20 militants were killed and nine militant hideouts were demolished in the fighting. The major killed was identified as Major Sikandar.

A second attack was also reported in Shadala area of Ghaljo when militants fired rockets at a convoy. Four insurgents were killed by security personnel, and once solider sustained minor injuries. Earlier, a remote controlled blast took place near a police checkpoint in the Shabadar teshil of Charsadda. A policeman was killed in the explosion.

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Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani told parliamentarians that although there was a possibility of the US initiating a ground offensive in the tribal belt of North Waziristan, the western power would not make any such decision lightly. He further added that US should focus its efforts on Afghanistan and that there was no convincing argument that an operation in North Waziristan would change the ground reality in Afghanistan.

Briefing the parliaments defense committee, Kiyani also stated that pressure on Islamabad from Washington had grown, which was evident from the ISAF and Afghan troop buildup along the Afghan-Pak border.

The US and Pakistan have been at odds over action against the Haqqani network operating in the country. The US insists Islamabad needs to take tougher action against the group. General Kiyani’s comments have come a few days before a high level US delegation, to include Hillary Clinton, is to visit Pakistan.

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