Pakistan must change approach towards terror groups, take decisive action : US

The US said it looks to the Pakistan government to take decisive action against militant groups based in the country. The statement comes following BRICS statement that named Pakistan-based terror groups as

The United States said on Wednesday that Pakistan must “change its approach” towards terror groups operating from its soil and take decisive action against them.

A Facebook site features Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a banned organization and a US declared terrorist group, in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AP File Photo)

“As the administration has said, Pakistan must change its approach,” a State Department spokesperson told PTI in response to a question on the BRICS statement that named Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed among the terror groups that create problem in the region.

“We look to the Pakistan government to take decisive action against militant groups based in Pakistan that are a threat to the region,” the spokesperson said.

For the first time, BRICS Summit in their joint declaration named Pakistan-based terrorist groups as a concern for regional security and called for action against them.

Pakistan has denied allegations it harbours these groups.

The BRICS declaration in the Chinese city Xiamen was significant given that China previously repeatedly stonewalled any reference to Pakistan or terrorist groups based there.

Pakistan’s foreign minister Khawaja Asif has told a news channel that BRICS concerns about the militant groups should not be considered as China’s official stance.