US intelligence agency official says Pak harbouring terrorists

WASHINGTON: Pakistan is “harbouring terrorists” and using them as “reserve” in Afghanistan, a top US intelligence official has told lawmakers.

“Pakistan views Afghanistan or desires for Afghanistan some of the same things we want — a safe, secure, stable Afghanistan. One addition — one that does not have heavy Indian influence in Afghanistan,” Lt Gen Vincent Stewart, director, Defense Intelligence Agency told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“They view all of the challenges through the lens of an Indian threat to the state of Pakistan,” Stewart said. “So they hold in reserve terrorist organisations... so that if Afghanistan leans towards India, they will no longer be supportive of an idea of a stable and secure Afghanistan.”

He said Pakistan needs to be told very clearly that Afghanistan’s security and stability is in the interest of all of the parties in the region and does not pose a risk to Pakistan. US DRONE STRIKE KILLS 3 PAKISTANI TALIBAN

A suspected US drone strike targeting a compound in Afghanistan on Wednesday killed three Taliban militants, a Pakistani official said.

The strike took place just across the Afghan border in the village of Gurowek in Khost province, said the official.

A Taliban commander who identified himself as Abdullah Waziristani confirmed the attack.