'Reports of Taliban operating from Pak false'

The Pak army has denied a top US general's claim that Taliban was operating from the country to foment violence in Afghanistan.

Pakistan's army has denied a top US general's claim that the Taliban was operating from the country to foment violence in neighboring Afghanistan, where US and NATO troops are fighting insurgents.

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A Pakistani army statement said on Sunday that no such matter was brought to Pakistan's notice at a meeting held in recent days near Islamabad and attended by Afghan, US and Pakistani military officials.

Pakistan army's reaction came a day after US Major General Benjamin Freakley said a Taliban leader, Jalaluddin Haqqani, had sent about 200 ill-equipped fighters to Afghanistan, where most were killed in a recent major battle.

Freakley made his remarks after US forces killed 130 fighters in Afghanistan's eastern province of Paktika, in one of the largest winter battles in Afghanistan since the Taliban fell from power in 2001.

However, the Pakistani army said Freakley "does not have proper knowledge about who is operating from where."

Pakistan is a key ally of the United States in its campaign against terrorism, but Western and Afghan officials often accuse the country of not doing enough to stop the Taliban from using Pakistani territory to target Afghan and coalition forces.