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Pakistan Sees ‘Hollow Allegations’ in US Claims It Backs Militants


Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif during a meeting with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the State Department in Washington, Oct. 4, 2017.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif during a meeting with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the State Department in Washington, Oct. 4, 2017.

Pakistan’s foreign minister Thursday described as “hollow allegations” comments by senior U.S. officials and lawmakers during his visit to Washington this week that questioned Islamabad’s resolve in fighting militancy.

President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to implement its regional strategy. While U.S. officials have long been critical of the role Pakistan has played in Afghanistan, senior officials have been more pointed in recent days about Islamabad’s alleged support for militant groups.

Earlier this week, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the United States would try “one more time” to work with Pakistan in Afghanistan before Trump would “take whatever steps are necessary” to change Pakistan’s behavior.

On Tuesday, the top U.S. military officer said he believed Pakistan’s main spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate, had ties to the militant group.

“You want us to sniff them out, we will do that. You want us to take action against them, whatever action you propose, we will do that ... (but) these hollow allegations are not acceptable,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif told a group of reporters.

The Pakistan Defense Council, an alliance of hard-line Islamist religious leaders and politicians, attend an anti-U.S rally in Islamabad, Pakistan, Aug. 27, 2017. Pakistan's political, religious and military leaders have rejected President Donald Trump's allegation that Islamabad is harboring militants who battle U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
The Pakistan Defense Council, an alliance of hard-line Islamist religious leaders and politicians, attend an anti-U.S rally in Islamabad, Pakistan, Aug. 27, 2017. Pakistan's political, religious and military leaders have rejected President Donald Trump's allegation that Islamabad is harboring militants who battle U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

In August, Trump outlined a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan, chastising Pakistan over its alleged support for Afghan militants.

Reuters first reported that possible Trump administration responses being discussed include expanding U.S. drone strikes and perhaps eventually downgrading Pakistan’s status as a major non-NATO ally.

Asif singled out Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Service Committee, saying the senator was “playing to his constituents” when he criticized Pakistan.

“We are not saying we are saints. Perhaps in the past, we made some mistakes. But since the last three, four years, we are wholeheartedly, single-mindedly, we are targeting these terrorists,” Asif said.

Asif said that Pakistan had less influence over the Taliban than in previous years, which could impact any efforts for peace talks to bring an end to the war in Afghanistan.

He added that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would be visiting Pakistan later this month.

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    Reuters

    Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

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