Take ‘sustained and irreversible’ action against terror: US to Pak

Washington, March 8 

Stepping up pressure on Pakistan, the US has asked Islamabad to take “sustained and irreversible” actions against terrorist groups operating from its territory to prevent future attacks and promote regional stability.

The State Department statement came as Pakistan, under global pressure after the Pulwama terror attack and India’s air strikes against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist camp in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on February 26, started taking actions against some of the terrorist outfits and their leaders over the past few days.

In Islamabad, the Interior Ministry on Thursday announced that a total of 121 members of the proscribed groups have so far been taken into “preventive detention” across Pakistan.

State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino told reporters at his biweekly news conference on Thursday, “I would say that we, the US notes these steps and we continue to urge Pakistan to take sustained, irreversible actions against terrorist groups that will prevent future attacks and promote regional stability”.

“We reiterate our call for Pakistan to abide by its United Nations Security Council obligations to deny terrorists safe haven and block their entry to funds,” he said.

Responding to questions, Palladino refrained from giving a direct answer on the move at the United Nations Security Council to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

However, he said that the US and its allies in the UN Security Council want to update the UN list of terrorist organisations and leaders.

“Our views on Masood Azhar and Jaish-e-Mohammed are well-known. Jaish-e-Mohammed is a United Nations-designated terrorist group that has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks and is a threat to regional stability. Masood Azhar is the founder and leader of JEM,” Palladino said.

Questions on the United Nations Sanctions Committee deliberations are confidential and as such it is not something that the State Department is going to be able to comment on specific matters on the issue, he said.

“But we will continue to work with the sanctions committee to ensure that the list is updated and that it is accurate,” Palladino said. — PTI 

Saeed barred from leading prayers in Lahore 

• Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) leader Hafiz Saeed has been barred from leading prayers at Lahore’s Jamia Masjid Qadsia as part of the Pakistan government’s crackdown
• Police contingents were dispatched to the Jamia Qadsia Masjid to help the administration take control, Dawn news reported citing an informed source as saying
• The police also locked the JuD’s and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation’s (FIF) Chauburji headquarters late Thursday night. The FIF is a charity wing of the JuD

Imran: No militants to attack from our soil

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said no militant group would be allowed to operate from Pakistani soil to carry out attacks abroad. Pakistan has a history of using Islamist groups to pursue foreign policy aims in the region. “God willing, you will see that a new era is emerging,” Khan said.