Pakistan rubbishes US concerns of fighting terrorists selectively

Pakistan has again insisted that it has been acting firmly against terrorists and militant groups operating from its soils and not adopting a selective method to deal with the latter.

Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria was quoted by the Voice of America (VOA) and the Express Tribune, as saying, "Pakistan has taken action against all terrorist elements without discrimination. We have never allowed nor will anybody ever be allowed to use Pakistan's soil against any other country."

Rejecting Lt. Gen. H R McMaster, the US National Security Adviser's assertion that the Trump administration wanted regional countries, particularly Pakistan to stop providing "safe haven and support bases" to the [Afghan] Taliban and Haqqani Network, Zakaria said Pakistan and the United States have been cooperating on counter-terrorism and added that such issues had been discussed by both sides in the recent past.

"We have clarity in this regard, having suffered unparalleled loss of lives of tens of thousands of our citizens and billions of dollars to Pakistan's economy that we have to eradicate the menace completely and we shall continue to fight the terrorists, irrespective," the spokesperson said.

American and Afghan officials have repeatedly voiced their concerns over Pakistan's alleged inaction against insurgents plotting cross-border attacks on its soil.

According to VOA, the new US strategy is reportedly exploring a fresh approach towards Pakistan that could see more US pressure to address the issue of militant safe havens, expanding drone strikes, reducing aid to Islamabad and downgrading Pakistan's status as a major non-NATO ally.