ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: US attacks in tribal areas are harming the government’s efforts to isolate extremists and mobilise people against militancy, according to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Addressing a press conference after returning from Beijing on Sunday, the prime minister criticised the Inspector-General of the Frontier Corps for saying that the military operation in Bajaur Agency might last another year, asserting that any decision about the timing of the army’s withdrawal from tribal areas would be taken by his government.

Mr Gilani was referring to remarks by Maj-Gen Tariq Khan during a briefing for media on Saturday.

Commenting on the US drone attacks, the prime minister said: “Certainly such actions are proving counter-productive to (government’s) efforts of isolating extremists and militants from tribal population which was going through formation of tribal lashkars.”

The prime minister said the government was capable of taking militants head on, but it should also be kept in mind that the “use of force is no answer to what is an essentially a political matter”.

Mr Gilani also made a veiled reference to the presence of foreign fighters in Bajaur. “When thousands of people cross over from the border to attack our army, all accords are automatically broken,” he observed. “The military is operating in tribal and some settled areas of NWFP to help the government bring law and order under control,” he said in defence of the military action. “It (military) will be replaced with civil armed forces as soon as objectives are achieved.”

The prime minister said the government and the armed forces were working in tandem to restore normality to the tribal areas, recalling the statement made on Saturday by Chief of Army Staff, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, that the armed forces were working to quell “internal and external threats to national security” and would ensure implementation of the parliament’s resolution.

In reply to questions about the government’s decision to seek the International Monetary Fund’s assistance despite fears of tough conditions, the premier said: “Right now we are facing an economic crunch and we need a bailout strategy to come out of this.”

He said the parliament’s unanimous resolution had been possible thanks to efforts by lawmakers from both sides of the political divide, adding that it had laid down guidelines to tackle terrorism and militancy.

“In any case, use of force should be the last option. Now that the action is going on we need to strengthen our civil armed forces to replace the army as we have been assured by friendly countries to equip them with modern facilities.”

Asked about a long-awaited expansion of the cabinet, the prime minister said “consultations have been completed and the expansion will be made probably on my return from Turkey”. Mr Gilani said comparisons between the present and the Musharraf-led governments were “frustrating for me” describing them as unjust.

He cited “my habit of responding to most queries” in the National Assembly and President Asif Ali Zardari’s address to the joint session as examples of “our faith in parliament’s supremacy”.

“On the other hand he (president Pervez Musharraf) had called parliamentarians uncouth people.”

About his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the prime minister said: “I discussed the water issue with him and he has assured that his government will ensure implementation of water accords.”

When his attention was drawn towards the slapping of strict conditions for manpower export to Saudi Arabia, the prime minister said he had discussed a number of issues with the Saudi ambassador recently and the issue would also be taken up by President Zardari during his visit to Riyadh next month.