US asks Pak to close all terror safe havens
The US has asked Pakistan to close all terrorist safe havens and target all militant groups, including those that target neighbouring countries, after India made a strong pitch at the UN for isolating nations that nurtured and exported terror.
"Our focus with Pakistan is to enhance their capability and to deal with terrorist threats on their soil. They are fighting a serious and sustained campaign against violent extremism," White House Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said.
"We do believe that they are making progress and taking steps to counter terrorist violence, but at the same time we have been very clear that they need to target all militant groups, including those that target Pakistan's neighbours, and close all safe havens," he said.
Diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan have been rising since the September 18 attack on an army base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 18 Indian soldiers.
Pakistan has rejected allegations of its involvement in the assault, with both the countries hitting out at each other of late, including at the UN General Assembly.
Toner reiterated that it is the longstanding American position that the US believes India and Pakistan really stand to benefit from the normalisation of relations.
"We encourage both India and Pakistan to pursue and engage in direct dialogue that is aimed at reducing tensions," he said.
"We have long said that with regard to Pakistan, with regard to India, with regard to the region, there is no zero-sum game here. We are pursuing very close relations with India," the deputy spokesperson said.
"We have a deep and broad bilateral relationship and multilateral relationship, or work our multilateral issues with India. They are the world's largest democracy and we share a very similar vision of the world. And we obviously have very close trade and economic ties with India, and also that extends to security cooperation," he said. —PTI