Panetta believes about links between ISI and Haqqanis: aide

"The (Defence) Secretary has made it clear there are elements of the Pakistani government that appear to provide support and facilitation to the Haqqanis," Pentagon spokesman, George Little told reporters.

This element includes the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the spy agency of Pakistan, Little said in response to a question from journalists as last week Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had called Haqqanis as a veritable arm of the ISI.

"Both (Panetta and Mullen) are of the same view that the Pakistanis need to do whatever they can to pressure the Haqqanis not to attack American Afghan and NATO forces in Afghanistan," he said.

"Clearly everyone here recognises there is a link between elements of the Government of Pakistan and the Haqqanis," Little said refuting reports that there are any differences between Mullen and Panetta on this issue especially the use of term by the Admiral that Haqqanis are the veritable arm of the ISI.

"Broadly speaking and this came out very clearly last week that the Secretary (of Defence) and the Chairman (of Joint Chiefs of Staff) both agree that there are unacceptable links between elements of the Pakistani Government which includes the ISI and the Haqqanis.

I am not going to go beyond that," he said, adding that at the analytical level there are no differences between the two top Defence Department officials