The U.S. has reportedly given Pakistan a deadline to launch a military offensive operation in the tribal area of North Waziristan to arrest five most wanted criminals, either independently or in a joint military action with NATO till July, a report in the Newsreporter.com stated.

The criminals, namely Ayman al-Zawahiri, Omar, Kashmiri, Sirajuddin Haqqani and Atia Abdur Rehman are the five most wanted criminals.

The NATO and allied forces will withdraw from neighboring Afghanistan in July.

The U.S. demand has set alarm bells ringing in Pakistani civil and military circles, The News daily reported quoting unnamed sources.

So far the Pakistani forces had shown reluctance in launching a military offensive in North Waziristan despite continuous pressure from the U.S.

The Haqqani militant network, in North Waziristan is not harmful to Pakistan and it has served as a vital contact between the Pakistani intelligence agencies and the Afghan Taliban, the report said.

Another factor for the Pakistani military’s reluctance to move into North Waziristan is the presence of “some very important pro-government” militant faction, including those led by Mullah Nazir and Hafiz Gul Bahadar, it said.

Many pro-government military groups, like the one lead by Mullah Nazir and other by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, are present in North Waziristan, which helps the Pakistani security forces in keeping the anti-government tribal fighters, including the Wazirs, at bay, the report stated.

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