Islamabad: Pakistan today (Feb 23, 2004) said that some militants of al-Qaeda were still hiding in Waziristan tribal areas bordering Afghanistan and asked the tribal elders to search and hand them over.

Pakistan Interior Minister Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayyat told reporters today that the tribal elders of South and North Waziristan have handed over some of the al-Qaeda suspects hiding there in the past.

"But some of them are still hiding there and the Government of Pakistan would take every step to arrest them," he said.

Asked if there is any new operation launched in South and North Waziristan or in border areas in Balochistan, the Minister said, "There is nothing new but the Government has launched a full-fledged campaign to block the entry of terrorists from Afghanistan for one year."

His remarks followed media reports that US forces have identified the location where Osama bin Laden is hiding.

Hayat however rejected the reports suggesting that some 8,000 new Army troops have been deployed in South Waziristan for a joint Pak-US operation.

"Our paramilitary and Pakistan Army troops are already deployed there in line with our resolve to uproot terrorism from our society. No fresh deployment of Pakistan Army troops is required."