Pakistan needs to do a lot more against terrorist outfits: US

Monitoring Desk

WASHINGTON: Heather Nauret, the spokesperson for the US State Department has said that certainly Pakistan has taken some positive steps against the Taliban and other terrorist group but still there is a lot more to do against these forces.

This she said while addressing to weekly briefing on Wednesday. Heather Nauret said that pakistan is going in the right direction but still there is a lot more needs to be done to eliminate terrorism from the South Asia.

Nauert explained that the nation needs to “do more” — a call that the US has made multiple times over the past few months in order to take on and eliminate the banned terrorist outfits and also play a more active role in the Afghan peace process.

Heather Nauret highlighted Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s Saturday meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence wherein the two leaders held talks on US-Pakistan relations as well as the ongoing regional situation.

She said that Pence and Abbasi had talked about the overall South Asia strategy, the administration’s South Asia strategy, and that’s one of the things that the Vice President addressed with him.

During his meeting, the premier had apprised the VP of Islamabad’s sacrifices and successes in the fight against terrorism, according to sources.

Nauert added that one of the things that the President has called for in his South Asia strategy is for Pakistan to take on greater responsibility for cracking down on terror groups.

She noted that Washington looks forward to Islamabad’s assistance in Afghan peace talks and a greater role in stabilizing the South Asian region.