*ISLAMABAD:* A top American official has asked Pakistan to act against theHaqqani Network and other militant groups and address internationalcommunity’s concerns about terror financing, the US embassy here said onTuesday.
Deputy Assistant to the President and the US National Security Council’sSenior Director for South and Central Asia Lisa Curtis made the remarksduring her meetings with Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, InteriorMinister Ahsan Iqbal and Chief of the General Staff Lt Gen Bilal Akbar, itsaid.
“Curtis urged the government of Pakistan to address the continuing presenceof the Haqqani Network and other terrorist groups within its territory, andreiterated the international community’s long-standing concern aboutongoing deficiencies in Pakistan’s implementation of its anti-moneylaundering/ counter-terrorism finance regime,” the embassy said instatement.
The Haqqani Network, blamed for several deadly attacks against Indianinterests in Afghanistan including the 2008 bombing of the Indian missionin Kabul that killed 58 people, has also carried out a number ofkidnappings and attacks against US interests in Afghanistan.
In her meetings with Pakistani officials, Curtis said that the US seeks tomove toward a new relationship with Pakistan, based on a shared commitmentto defeat all terrorist groups that threaten regional stability andsecurity as well as on a shared vision of a peaceful future for Afghanistan.
She acknowledged Pakistan’s considerable sacrifices fighting terrorism.
She emphasised that the US South Asia strategy represents an opportunity towork together to bring about a stable, peaceful Afghanistan which wouldenable the dignified return of Afghan refugees to their homeland.
She said the strategy would help to defeat of ISIS in South Asia and theelimination of terrorist groups that threaten both Pakistan and the UnitedStates.
Curtis visited Pakistan this week after the US made extra efforts to putIslamabad on the ‘Grey List’ of Financial Action Task Force in a meetingheld in Paris.
Foreign Office Spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted about Curtis’ meeting withforeign secretary Tehmina Janjua. He did not provide further details of themeeting.
Relations between Pakistan and US are under stress due to pressure onIslamabad to take decisive action against the presence of militant groupson its soil. Pakistan denies the presence of any terror group on its soil.- Agencies