Pakistan ends military talks with US

The Pakistani Army Wednesday said it has scrapped talks with US military officials after a military delegation sent to Washington had to go through "unwarranted" airport security checks - an indication of the level of mistrust that exists between Pakistan and the United States, even though they have been allies for decades.

Security at US airports has been especially stringent since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, with scores of passengers complaining they have been singled out for checks due to their "Middle Eastern" or "Muslim" appearance.

The Pakistani delegation was visiting the United States at the invitation of the US military's Central Command.

"The delegation ... was subjected to unwarranted security checks at Washington airport by the US Transport Security Agency," the army said in a statement.

The delegation was later cleared, and US defense officials expressed regret over the incident. "However, as a result of these checks, military authorities in Pakistan decided to cancel the visit and called the delegation back," the army said.

In March, a Pakistani parliamentary delegation called off a two-week US trip, sponsored by the State Department, after lawmakers were tagged for further screening at Washington's airport.

Washington sees Pakistan as a vital ally in the fight against militancy and wants it to help crack down on Afghan Taliban.

Mistrust between the two countries involves a range of issues, from security cooperation to how aid is delivered.

Agencies