In a strong message, the U.S. has asked Pakistan to act against terror groups targeting its neighbours and not just the ones that pose a threat to it, virtually endorsing the stand taken by India at the SAARC ministerial meet.
“We have been very clear with the highest levels of the Government of Pakistan that they must target all militant groups and that includes those that target Pakistan’s neighbours. They must also close all safe havens,” the State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told on Thursday at his daily briefing. He said Pakistan was going after terror groups “selectively”. “We need to see them go after all groups and as I just said, even those groups that might not threaten Pakistan itself but threaten its neighbours,” he said.
Withholding of aid
Asked about the SAARC meet, Mr. Toner said it was important to have a forum where countries can “talk about in a candid way” on the areas of disagreement and concerns and advocated closer cooperation between India and Pakistan to deal with terror threat in both the countries.
Asked about Pentagon’s decision to withhold $300 million military aid to Pakistan after Defence Secretary Ashton Carter declined to give a certification to the Congress that Islamabad is taking sufficient action against Haqqani network, Mr. Toner said, “We’ve urged Pakistan to address this and to pursue closer counterterrorism cooperation with Afghanistan against all groups that pose a long-term security threat to the region, not just to Pakistan,”
