WASHINGTON – America’s intelligence chief has warned that Pakistan drawingcloser to China is against US national interests in the region.
Pakistan-supported militants groups would continue to carry out attacksinside India and Afghanistan, thus risking escalation of tension betweenthe neighbours.
Pakistan, in fact, will continue to threaten US interests by deploying newnuclear weapons capabilities, maintaining its ties to terrorists,restricting counter- terrorism cooperation, and drawing closer to China, MrCoats said in his testimony before the Senate Select Committee onIntelligence on Tuesday.
“Militant groups supported by Islamabad will continue to take advantage oftheir safe haven in Pakistan to plan and conduct attacks in India andAfghanistan, including against US interests,” Mr Coats said during thehearing on ‘Worldwide Threat Assessment’ of the US intelligence community.
He said Pakistan’s perception of its eroding position relative to India anddomestic security issues will drive Islamabad’s pursuit of actions that runcounter to US goals for the region.
Without specifically referring to any terrorist incident by Pakistan-basedgroups, Mr Coats told the lawmakers that he expects tension between the twoAsian neighbours.
“Relations between India and Pakistan are likely to remain tense, withcontinued violence on the Line of Control and the risk of escalation ifthere is another high-profile terrorist attack in India or an uptick inviolence on the Line of Control,” Mr Coats said.