'India's effort to isolate Pak hinders prospects of ties'

India's effort to diplomatically isolate Pakistan hinders any prospects for improved relations, a top American general said today as he expressed concern over ongoing tensions between both the countries.
"We continue to see ongoing tensions between Pakistan and neighbouring India. India remains concerned about the lack of action against India-focused militants based in Pakistan and even responded militarily to terrorist attacks in India," General Joselg L Votel told members of the House Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing.
The US, he said in his testimony before the powerful Congressional committee, assesses that these types of attacks and the potential reactions increase the likelihood for miscalculation by both countries.

"Furthermore, India's public policy to diplomatically isolate Pakistan hinders any prospects for improved relations. This is especially troubling as a significant conventional conflict between Pakistan and India could escalate into a nuclear exchange, given that both are nuclear powers.
"Additionally, Pakistan's increased focus on its eastern border detracts from its efforts to secure the western border with Afghanistan from incursion by the Taliban and al-Qaida fighters," Votel said.
Security along the western border will nevertheless remain a priority for Islamabad as the Pakistan army seeks to expand border control and improve paramilitary security, he said.

Noting that Pakistan's shared border with Afghanistan remains a safe haven for terrorists and violent extremist elements, Votel said that there are 20 US-designated terrorist organisations present today in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"The Taliban serves as a facilitator to some of these groups' operations. The death of Taliban Supreme Leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US strike on May 21, 2016 had a disruptive impact on the Taliban and gave a psychological boost to the Afghans," the top American commander said.
However, the group still presents a formidable threat to stability in the Afghanistan-Pakistan sub-region, Votel said, adding that the convergence of these groups and in particular the convergence of the Afghan Taliban and its component, the Haqqani Network, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, is of particular concern given the direct threat posed to the US and Coalition personnel and the Afghan government.

"Key to improving the security environment in Afghanistan is eliminating sanctuary of militant groups in Pakistan's territory. The US maintains consistent diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to take appropriate steps to deny safe haven and work to improve the security of the tumultuous Afghanistan-Pakistan border region," Votel said.
As long as terrorist groups maintain safe haven inside of Pakistan, they will threaten long-term stability in Afghanistan, he said.
"Of particular concern to us is the Haqqani Network (HQN) which poses the greatest threat to coalition forces operating in Afghanistan. To date, the Pakistan military and security services have not taken lasting actions against HQN.

"We have consistently called upon the Pakistanis to take the necessary actions to deny terrorists safe haven and improve security in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region," Votel added.