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09-16-2016, 04:50 PM
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US commends Pakistan?s progress*towards combating terrorism
WASHINGTON: The United States has lauded Pakistan’s progress towards combating terrorism through recent military operations while insisting that a decisive policy shift was needed to overcome difficulties.
“Pakistan’s struggle with terrorism will **t come to an end until it makes a decisive shift in its policy towards externally focused groups,” said Ambassador Richard Olson, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, on Thursday. Speaking before the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ambassador Olson said the US administration has been very clear with most senior Pakistani leadership that “Pakistan must target all militant groups without discrimination – including those that target Pakistan’s neighbours – and close all safe havens.” Olson ack**wledged that Pakistan’s military operations in Fata remain important. “The Pakistani military has made progress in shutting down terrorist safe havens through operation Zarb-e-Azb and most recently in operation Khyber III in Rajgal Valley of Khyber Agency, with the aim to restore security to parts of Pakistan that have been used as terrorist safe havens for years. Pakistan has worked with us to decimate core al-Qaeda.” Olson was invited to attend the hearing set up for the committee members on Afghanistan. The ambassador in his testimony said that “a constructive relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan remains essential to bringing peace and stability to the region.” Following a significant improvement after the election of President Ghani, relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have peaked and troughed over the past year in part due to critical issues, including refugees, border management, and counterterrorism, he said. After a meeting in June between Afghan Foreign Minister Rabbani and Pakistani Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, both sides agreed to coordinate at senior and tactical levels on border management issues; the first tactical-level meeting happened in late July and both sides agreed to meet again, Olson said, adding “the US supports this mechanism and believes that more bilateral dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan will increase prospects for mutual understanding, regional peace and stability.” He also stated in his testimony that in the wake of a deadly attack on the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul this August, Afghanistan provided Pakistan with evidence that prompted the Pakistan military to conduct combing operations in a few key areas along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. “Pakistan is sharing the results of those operations with Afghanistan. Efforts to bring those behind the attack to justice are critical,” he said. Olson said Pakistan has assured the US of its intention to take action against all the militant groups. He told the intelligence agencies, and law enforcement agencies to take concrete measures to deny any militant group safe haven or the use of Pakistani soil to launch terrorist attacks in Afghanistan." The ambassador pointed out that Pakistan has also played a critical role in generously hosting 1.5 million Afghan refugees for nearly 40 years. "Pakistan’s contributions in this regard have been essential to providing asylum space for Afghans displaced by conflict and in furthering our goal of long-term peace and stability in the region," he said. INP adds: The US respects the unity and territorial integrity of Pakistan and does **t support independence for Balochistan, a State Department official has said. “The government policy is that we support the territorial integrity of Pakistan and we do **t support independence for Balochistan,” State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference Wednesday. Kirby was responding to a question by an Indian journalist who said, “Where does the US stand on Balochistan because Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised this subject.” - أكثر... ??????? ??????: US commends Pakistan?s progress*towards combating terrorism || ??????: ahlam1399 || ??????: اسم منتداك
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