WASHINGTON – Setting aside the clarifications of Pakistani authorities, the United States has once again warned Pakistan to cut alleged ties with Haqqani network and militants in order to keep its control on its territory.
Speaking on a seminar, “Meeting the foreign policy challenges of 2017 and beyond” organised by the Atlantic Council-Korea Foundation Forum here the other day, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said: “Pakistan has allowed so many terrorist organizations to find safe haven within its territories, and these organizations are growing in size and influence,” he said in a statement issued by the US State Department.
He said that Pakistan has to begin the process of changing its relationship with the Haqqani Network and with others.
“I understand that this is a relationship that has emerged probably for, in their view, good reasons a decade ago, but now that relationship has to be altered because they – if they’re not careful, Pakistan is going to lose control of their own country,” the secretary added .
He feared that the militants could shift their focus from Kabul to Islamabad. Tillerson said that “at some point I have said to the leadership of Pakistan, you may be the target, and they turn their attention from Kabul and decide they like Islamabad as a target better”.
He said that both countries “have had a long history of good relations, but that relationship has really deteriorated over the past decade and so now we’re engaged with Pakistan in a conversation to ensure our expectations of them are clear, that our concern is really about Pakistan’s stability”.
“We want to work with Pakistan to stamp out terrorism within their boundaries as well,” he said, adding “But we cannot continue with the status quo, where terrorist organizations are allowed to find safe haven inside of Pakistan”.
He said that the US willing to share information with Pakistan and want it to be successful.
The warning issued by the Tillerson follows the policy announced by President Donald Trump regarding South Asia. Trump had said, “We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond”.
However, Pakistani authorities have been refused the claims of the US that the country was providing shelter to militants in its territory.
