ISLAMABAD"The threat of US 'surgical' strikes on Taliban and al-Qaeda hideouts in Waziristan and other tribal areas is 'real', and Pakistan's top security brass, taking it seriously, has initiated a critical process of consultations to cope with any emergent situation. Background interviews with the officials privy to developments on Pakistan's shared frontier with Afghanistan revealed that the invasion by the US-led coalition forces is not imminent at this stage but the threat of surgical strikes on militants' hideouts in the tribal belt was very much real. The option of surgical strikes is opted to inflict damage on the intended legitimate military targets and to avert the possibilities of collateral damage to the surrounding structures and buildings and those attacks are generally carried out by precision guided munitions and in particular by aircraft. The officials said that the warning regarding the surgical strikes had been conveyed to Pakistani authorities and it also figured in detailed discussions during the visit of US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen to Islamabad few days ago. The top American military official spoke about the US unhappiness over alleged failure of Pakistani forces to stop the Taliban from crossing the border and carrying out deadly attacks in Afghanistan, according to an official who asked for anonymity. He said that the troops' build-up by the coalition forces on Pak-Afghan border was being monitored deeply and the security circles here were engaged in hectic consultations on how to tackle any threatening and serious situation. "Pakistani officials have warned the U.S. authorities that any direct action by the coalition forces inside Pakistan would serve no purpose and it would only add to the ongoing strife and friction in the tribal areas," the official said adding that the Americans had been asked to be patient and give time to Pakistan's efforts to bear fruits vis-a-vis war on terror. Another official said that Pakistan wanted the United States to acknowledge its endeavours in war against terrorism that had now expanded to the settled areas of the country and was no more restricted to the tribal belt. "The US attacks, we believe would further aggravate the situation and bring irreparable harm to our ongoing efforts aimed at curbing militancy in areas like Hangu and Khyber agency," he said. He also revealed that the US authorities wanted action against the Taliban and al-Qaeda militants in North and South Waziristan as well adding that the security circles in Washington believed that those were the areas that had become hub of terrorists' activities and they had established most of their safe havens and hideouts there.