Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

US Refutes Pak Claims against Safe Havens

US Refutes Pak Claims against Safe Havens

WASHINGTON - The United States has strongly refuted Pakistani allegation that NATO and Afghan forces are taking action against safe havens inside the country.
And, Pentagon urged Islamabad to take strong action against terrorist sanctuaries inside Pakistan.

"We deplore any attack on our Pakistani partners. The TTP (Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan) poses a threat to both Pakistan and to the United States. We take aggressive action against terrorists on the Afghan side of the border. We will continue to do so.

"Whether it is the Haqqani network or the TTP, whether it is Al-Qaeda, we will take decisive action on the Afghan side of the border," Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters.
"It is important for the United States and Pakistan to work closely with each other on the issue of insurgents that cross the border and that are what we have called for in recent weeks with respect to safe havens in Pakistan.

"We look forward to continuing our dialogue with the government of Pakistan on these very important issues as this is a common cause. These terrorists threat both the United States and Pakistan," Little said.
He however, refrained from making any comment on Afghan's allegations of increased shelling by Pakistan from across the border, resulting in displacement of civilians and casualties.

Meanwhile, several top lawmakers introduce a bill in the Congress for terrorist designation of Haqqani network, for which the State Department is taking an unusually long time. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, Buck McKeon, Chairman of House Armed Services Committee and Chairman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

In introducing the bill, Rogers said, Republicans and Democrats in both houses of Congress agreed that Haqqani Network is a violent terrorist organization and a grave threat to US security.

"The Haqqani are responsible for killing hundreds of our troops and their indiscriminate attacks have also murdered countless innocent Afghan men, women and children. With this bipartisan, bicameral effort, we urge the Obama Administration to formally designate the Haqqani Network as a Foreign Terrorist Organization so we can cut off the finances that are fueling their terrorist attacks," he said.

In another related development, Pakistan Ambassador to the US, Sherry Rehman, in a meeting with US Senators, reiterated the demand of an American apology for the airstrike on November 26, 2011 -- which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

Rehman met the Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, Senator Rand Paul, at the Capitol Hill and Senator James Rische.

Rehman, during her meeting, according to a Pakistan Embassy statement, hoped the two sides would be able to reach a common understanding at the earliest.

McConnell and Paul had called for the meeting to discuss the reopening of the Ground Lines of Communication and continued detention of Dr Shakeel Afridi, the physician who helped CIA trace Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

The three lawmakers urged Pakistan to take strong action against the Haqqani network and eliminate safe havens from its territory. (Pajhwok)