Ex-Pak US envoy doubts Nawaz over tackling extremism

Pakistan's former ambassador to Washington has cast doubt on incoming prime minister Nawaz Sharif's overtures to the United States and India.

Husian Haqqani said that Sharif had a poor record on opposing extremists.

According to Dawn News, Haqqani said that Sharif may not back up his statements with substance after the two-time prime minister's PML-N win in Saturday's general elections.

Haqqani, who is close to rival PPP, told a press conference called by the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations that he will say he wants good relations with the United States and there are individual Americans with whom he has very good relations.

He added that Shariff will similarly will go ahead and engage with India. But cast doubts over whether l he will really crack down on the hardline groups, many of whom campaigned for him and supported him in this election.

Sharif in a press talk on Monday had promised to address any concerns of the United States and India and vowed 'full support' as Washington pulls troops out of Afghanistan next year.

But Haqqani blamed Sharif for the creation of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a virulently anti-India militant movement, and noted that he was prime minister during the short Kargil war with India in 1999, the report added.