US Urges Pakistan To Act Decisively Against Terrorists

In first American high level interaction with new Prime Minister of Pakistan,US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Pakistan`s new Prime Minister Imran Khan to take decisive action against all terrorists operating from its soil targeting India and Afghanistan. In a telephone conversation with Khan he also talked about Pakistan`s vital role in promoting peace process in Afghanistan. Earlier, US Assistant Secretary of State in-charge of South Asia, Alice Wells had stated that United States has told Pakistan to ensure that terrorist groups do not enjoy safe havens in Pakistan. On the role of the Haqqani network, an affiliate of Afghan Taliban that operates in Afghanistan, she said, externally oriented terrorist groups like Haqqani network, and groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed operate from Pakistan against India.

Ms. Wells also added that United States is concerned that terrorist groups continue to enjoy safe havens in Pakistan. She welcomed the words of new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan when he had talked about importance of having peace on both sides of Pakistan`s borders. The US Assistant Secretary, however, added that Washington wants Pakistan to ensure that Taliban either come to the negotiating table or are expelled back into their own country Afghanistan rather than enjoying safe havens in Pakistan.

Washington has been deeply sceptical about Pakistan`s efforts to end terrorism for which it has claimed billions of American dollars as compensation and reimbursements for participating in these efforts. This had prompted President Donald Trump to tweet on first January this year, “the United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than thirty three billion dollars in aid over the last fifteen years and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit. They give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan with little help. No more.” From billions, the aid has been now reduced to only a few million dollars.

Meanwhile there has been escalation in violence in Afghanistan during last fortnight. Taliban struck provincial capital Ghazni and mounted attacks against security forces at various places in which hundreds of people are reported to have been killed. The attacks were followed by an offer of three months’ cease fire announced by Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on the occasion of Eid ul Zuha. Unlike the earlier cease fire in June this year, the present offer does not appear to have been fully accepted this time. Immediately after the ceasefire offer was made, one hundred and seventy bus passengers were kidnapped. During the three day cease fire on the occasion of Eid-ul Fitr in June this year, much rejoicing and bonhomie was witnessed between terrorists and civilians. The militants have reportedly said that the Eid ul Fitr ceasefire had benefited America led mission and it could not be repeated this time.

It may be noted how things have come to this sorry pass in Afghanistan. After withdrawal of erstwhile the Soviet forces from Afghanistan in 1989, Pakistan left no stone unturned to nurture fundamentalist forces to establish a regime of its own choice there. It did not care at all if such a regime would suit Afghanistan`s rich civilisational background and ethos. The main guiding aim for Pakistan was to obtain a strategic depth in its backyard against India. The Irony is that, while fomenting terrorism and building terrorist infrastructure against India during the last three decades and by making terrorism an instrument of its state policy, Pakistan has itself turned into bastion of Jihadi elements and other terrorists groups. Afghan Taliban carries out terror attacks in Afghanistan and return to their heavens in Pakistan whereas Lashkar-e-Taiba and other groups attack Indian targets. In the process Pakistan has endangered security of the entire South Asian region.

Meanwhile, the US has refused to join Russian led talks on Afghanistan which it considers unlikely to establish peace. However, all parties must ensure that the Afghan peace process is not jeopardized.

 Script: J. L. Koul Jalali, Political Commentator