US is clearly standing with India against Pak : Report
Monday, July 24, 2017
By: TNN
Source Link: CLICK HERE
Highlights
The official further told the newspaper that the US is unhappy with Pakistan's efforts toward regional peace and wants it to initiate dialogue with both India and Afghanistan to improve ties. He added that Pakistan believes it is doing it all it can.
"It is sad they don't want to acknowledge our anti-terror successes. They are repeating the 'do more' mantra. We believe now India and Afghanistan have to do more. We are doing what we can," the official told The Nation.
Pakistan, in turn, told the US it blames New Delhi and Kabul for poor relations.
"We have told them Pakistan has always wanted a dialogue but both India and Afghanistan were not responding," the official said.
Pakistan has been backed into a corner in the last couple of months after a series of actions by the US and the European Union.
Last month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the human rights situation in Pakistan.
The resolution, which was adopted by majority, expressed grave concern over the "roll-back in Pakistan of the respect for human rights and the rule of law," in particular the freedom granted to security forces, the use of military courts, the crackdown on NGOs, the intimidation of human rights defenders and religious minorities, and the increase in extrajudicial killings, reported IANS.
Then, last Wednesday, the US listed Pakistan among the nations providing "safe havens" to terrorists, saying terror groups like the LeT and JeM continued to operate, train, organise and fund-raise inside the country.
"Pakistan did not take sufficient action against other externally focused groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in 2016, which continued to operate, train, organise, and fundraise in Pakistan," said the annual 'Country Report on Terrorism' from the US state department. LeT's founder Hafiz Saeed is the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Also last week, the US said it was blocking $350 million in coalition support funds to Pakistan+ as it had not taken "sufficient actions" against the dreaded Haqqani terror network which has been behind terror attacks in Afghanistan.
Another official at the foreign ministry said to The Nation that Islamabad had told Washington that doubting Pakistan's role against terror would not be helpful.
"The world knows we have sacrificed a lot in the war on terror. The US also acknowledges it but it is strange they [the US] are toeing the Indian line," he added.
A retired Pakistani army veteran told The Nation that these US actions are a result of annoyance with Pakistan due to its strong ties with China.
"They [the US] are trying to put pressure on Pakistan. The US support for [Indian] Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi is designed to corner Pakistan and then force it to bow to India's superiority," said Naeem Lodhi, a retired Pakistani army lieutenant general.
The US is motivated by self-interest, he added.
"They want to break Pakistan-China friendship. The US is doing this for India and also for its own interest," Lodhi said.
http://www.defencenews.in/article/US-is-clearly-standing-with-India-against-Pak--Report-263373
Monday, July 24, 2017
By: TNN
Source Link: CLICK HERE
Highlights
- A Pakistani foreign ministry official said the US is unhappy with Islamabad's efforts toward regional peace
- Pakistan, in turn, told the US it blames New Delhi for poor relations
- The US wants Pakistan to initiate dialogue with India, the official said
The official further told the newspaper that the US is unhappy with Pakistan's efforts toward regional peace and wants it to initiate dialogue with both India and Afghanistan to improve ties. He added that Pakistan believes it is doing it all it can.
"It is sad they don't want to acknowledge our anti-terror successes. They are repeating the 'do more' mantra. We believe now India and Afghanistan have to do more. We are doing what we can," the official told The Nation.
Pakistan, in turn, told the US it blames New Delhi and Kabul for poor relations.
"We have told them Pakistan has always wanted a dialogue but both India and Afghanistan were not responding," the official said.
Pakistan has been backed into a corner in the last couple of months after a series of actions by the US and the European Union.
Last month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the human rights situation in Pakistan.
The resolution, which was adopted by majority, expressed grave concern over the "roll-back in Pakistan of the respect for human rights and the rule of law," in particular the freedom granted to security forces, the use of military courts, the crackdown on NGOs, the intimidation of human rights defenders and religious minorities, and the increase in extrajudicial killings, reported IANS.
Then, last Wednesday, the US listed Pakistan among the nations providing "safe havens" to terrorists, saying terror groups like the LeT and JeM continued to operate, train, organise and fund-raise inside the country.
"Pakistan did not take sufficient action against other externally focused groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in 2016, which continued to operate, train, organise, and fundraise in Pakistan," said the annual 'Country Report on Terrorism' from the US state department. LeT's founder Hafiz Saeed is the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Also last week, the US said it was blocking $350 million in coalition support funds to Pakistan+ as it had not taken "sufficient actions" against the dreaded Haqqani terror network which has been behind terror attacks in Afghanistan.
Another official at the foreign ministry said to The Nation that Islamabad had told Washington that doubting Pakistan's role against terror would not be helpful.
"The world knows we have sacrificed a lot in the war on terror. The US also acknowledges it but it is strange they [the US] are toeing the Indian line," he added.
A retired Pakistani army veteran told The Nation that these US actions are a result of annoyance with Pakistan due to its strong ties with China.
"They [the US] are trying to put pressure on Pakistan. The US support for [Indian] Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi is designed to corner Pakistan and then force it to bow to India's superiority," said Naeem Lodhi, a retired Pakistani army lieutenant general.
The US is motivated by self-interest, he added.
"They want to break Pakistan-China friendship. The US is doing this for India and also for its own interest," Lodhi said.
http://www.defencenews.in/article/US-is-clearly-standing-with-India-against-Pak--Report-263373
