KARACHI, 31 October — The United States has asked Pakistan for more air bases in order to mobilize its ground forces for military operations in Afghanistan, reports say. Barely a few hours after the publication of these reports, a group of armed men attacked a police station in Bugti town, some 70 km from Jacobabad, and killed a police constable. Two others were also injured.
It was not known if the attack was against the presence of the US forces in the area, or a tribal warfare. The reports said that the issue of more air bases to be used by the US was raised during discussion of Tony Franks, commander-in-chief of the US Northern Command, with President Pervez Musharraf yesterday. No further details were given, but other reports had suggested that the US, already in possession of Jacobabad airbase in Sindh, had established a network of spy activities around the airbase.
The US has also test-flown pilotless planes from the airbase, and has employed sniffer dogs for the help of the commandos, who have been sent to Afghanistan, or those likely to be sent. Another report said that some 2,000 more soldiers were ready to land in Afghanistan at short notice, from the US warships, anchored near the Pakistani coasts. Residents of Jacobabad, and Pasni airbases, in control of the US, said that military activities are going on at night, and military aircraft are frequently flying in the area.
