Pak needs to move troops from Indo-Pak border

Pakistan needs to move troops from its border with India to the western parts of the country to fight terrorism, a top Obama Administration official has said.

Pakistan needs to move troops from its border with India to the western parts of the country to fight terrorism, a top Obama Administration official has said.

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“Some (Pakistani) troops already have been deployed away from the Pakistan-India border, but I think more needs to be one in that respect. But we are encouraged by the progress that has been made so far,” Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake said at a Congressional hearing replying to a question.

Blake agreed with Congressman Gary Ackerman that the Pak military offensive against the Taliban in the Swat Valley and adjoining areas has been a turning point in its war against terrorism.

“We are very encouraged by the progress that has been made in Swat Valley,” Blake said, adding that much more needs to be done by Pakistan in this regard.

“I think they do have the capabilities to undertake that. An important part of that will be, as (the Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan) Ambassador Holbrooke said, to reorient the Pakistani military from its focus on India towards a focus on dealing with the extremist threats that it faces,” Blake said on Friday.