US officials raise concerns over Pakistan Military, Missile and Nuclear programmes
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WASHINGTON – The United States may lift the suspicion of security aid to the government of Pakistan once it sees Islamabad take action to address its concerns, US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan said during a Senate hearing, Sputnik has reported.
"In January, the president suspended security aid to Pakistan… we may consider lifting this suspension when we see decisive and sustained actions to address our concerns, including targeting all terrorist groups operating within its territory without distinction," John Sullivan <link> said during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the new US strategy in Afghanistan.
Sullivan, however, told the committee the Trump administration hasn't seen any evidence that Pakistan has met its demands for drastic measures on extremist groups operating on Pakistani territory.
The United States hopes Pakistan will help convince the Taliban to enter into a peace process. Trump’s South Asia strategy is showing signs of progress with the Taliban momentum beginning to slow down and Afghan forces now on the offensive, he continued.
"We also encourage restraint in Pakistan's military, nuclear and missile programmes, and seek continued, closer alignment of Pakistan's nonproliferation policies with our own," said Sullivan.
On January 1, US President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of granting a "safe haven to the terrorists," despite his country's multibillion-dollar aid to Pakistan.
On January 4, the State Department declared that the US would suspend $900 million in security assistance to Pakistan until it does more to combat the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network terrorist groups.