RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistan strongly denied Thursday a BBC report that alleged the Pakistani military, along with its intelligence arm, supplied and protected the Afghan Taliban and al Qaeda.

A number of middle-ranking Taliban commanders detailed what they said was extensive Pakistani support in interviews for a BBC documentary series, the first part of which was broadcast Wednesday.

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistan’s military strongly denied Thursday a BBC report that alleged the Pakistani military, along with its intelligence arm, supplied and protected the Afghan Taliban and al Qaeda.

A number of middle-ranking Taliban commanders detailed what they said was extensive Pakistani support in interviews for a BBC Two documentary series, the first part of which was broadcast Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – After years of demanding Pakistan crack down on militants in a lawless tribal area on its border with Afghanistan, the United States has now set out a possibly tougher challenge — bring those militants to the peace table.

It’s a tough task. Ties have been strained between the two allies for months since Osama bin Laden was found holed up in a town two hours from Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – After years of demanding Pakistan crack down on militants in a lawless tribal area on its border with Afghanistan, the United States has now set out a possibly tougher challenge — bring those militants to the peace table.

It’s a tough task. Ties have been strained between the two allies for months since Osama bin Laden was found holed up in a town two hours from Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday that the United States had held a preliminary meeting with representatives of the Haqqani network, a group of militants Washington has blamed for a series of attacks in Afghanistan.

The revelation came soon after Clinton, in Islamabad with a heavyweight team of U.S. military and intelligence leaders, warned that tough action would have to be taken against Afghan and Pakistani militants if they did not cooperate in efforts to stabilize Afghanistan and pursue peace.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned on Friday that stern action would have to be taken against Afghan and Pakistani militants if they did not cooperate in efforts to stabilize Afghanistan and pursue peace.

After 10 years of war, it was time to get the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as the al Qaeda-linked Haqqani network, involved in those efforts, Clinton said.

By Chris Allbritton and Martin Petty

(Reuters) – A decade ago, when American bomber jets and special forces forced the Taliban regime from power in Afghanistan, the movement which was born in the religious schools of Pakistan’s tribal belts seemed shattered, never to return.

Since then, the various groups and factions of the Taliban — which means “students” in Arabic and Pashto — have split, regrouped and coalesced into an effective if diffuse guerrilla movement operating in two countries.

ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States moved to ease tensions with Islamabad on Friday, telling Pakistan it would not send ground troops to attack militant positions in North Waziristan even as anti-American protests flared around the country.

The demonstrations by religious parties broke out in several Pakistani cities just a day after political leaders joined in rejecting U.S. accusations that Islamabad was supporting militants.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Anti-American protests by religious parties broke out in several Pakistani cities on Friday, a day after political leaders joined in rejecting U.S. accusations that Islamabad was supporting militants.

Charges by a top U.S. general that Pakistan’s spy agency had supported this month’s attack on the U.S. mission in Kabul has added to anti-American sentiment in a country where a poll in June showed that almost two-thirds of the population considered the United States an enemy.

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – U.S. and Pakistani officials are continuing talks on the future U.S. military mission in Pakistan but Washington likely will see its influence on Pakistani special forces curtailed as tensions rage between the two nations.

A U.S. official said both countries had been discussing an agreement that would authorize between 100 and 150 U.S. military personnel to be stationed in Pakistan, fewer than have been there in the recent past.