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Pak vows to act against all terror groups without bias
Islamabad’s commitment to target all terrorists without discrimination was conveyed through a joint statement issued during the ministerial-level US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue
Pakistan has vowed to take action against all terrorist groups, including the Lashkar-e-Taeba (LeT), and not let its territory be used by such outfits to destabilise other countries.
The LeT is said to be behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which killed 164 people and wounding at least 308.
Islamabad’s commitment to target all terrorists without discrimination was conveyed through a joint statement issued during the ministerial-level US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue meeting between United States secretary of state John Kerry and Pakistani advisor to the prime minister on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz on Tuesday.
The two countries “agreed on the need for effective action against all violent extremists, specifically underscoring that no country’s territory should be used to destabilise” other nations. “Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to countering terrorism, including targeting all terrorists without discrimination,” the statement said. Aziz also affirmed Pakistan’s resolve to take effective action against UN-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including the al-Qaeda, Haqqani Network and the Lashkar-e-Taeba.
The statement voiced the two countries’ commitment to continue promoting peace, stability and transparency in the region, and eliminate threats posed by violent extremism and terrorism.
Read: US pushes Pakistan to cut down growing nuclear arsenal
The US and Pakistan also pledged to “work together to further bolster the capacity of Pakistan’s judicial and law enforcement authorities for combating terrorism and enforcing the rule of law.”
The two sides agreed to further enhance cooperation between their respective counter-terrorism authorities, and stressed on the importance of strengthening Pakistan’s capabilities to counter the use of improvised explosive devices more effectively.
Kerry and Aziz also touched on the TAPI (Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India) gas pipeline project, appreciating the progress made in that regard. Such regional projects would greatly facilitate regional integration and cooperation, the statement said.
