Islamabad, Oct. 20  After repeatedly expressing suspicion over Indian role in the South Waziristan insurgency, Pakistan has finally admitted that it has found “no concrete evidence” to establish the Indian angle.

The News quoted Director General of Pakistan’s Inter Services Public Relations Major General Athar Abbas, as saying that no truckload of Indian weapons were found in South Waziristan to provide any concrete evidence.

Abbas added that 18 terrorists were killed and two soldiers lost their lives on the third day of the offensive.

According to ISPR, the troops have reached the Kaskai area located west of Kotkai and north of Kund, while they have also secured Tor Ghundai and some areas of Razmak.

Earlier, Pak-Taliban Azam Tariq had confirmed the killing of only one militant. However, due to inaccessibility to the region, the claims by the Taliban and the Army cannot be confirmed as yet.

Also, 12 civilians have been reportedly killed as a mortar shell hit their vehicle in the Hindi Jawar area of North Waziristan.

Thousands of people continued fleeing to North Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and Bannu. Unofficial figures suggested that nearly 200,000 people had so far reached the border cities and the neighbouring North Waziristan.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has urged Mehsud tribes to help the military in the ongoing operation against the Taliban.

“The objective of the ongoing military operation in South Waziristan is not to target patriotic Mehsud tribes but to get them rid of terrorists and brutal elements,” he said. (ANI)