Pakistan’s Foreign Office today rubbished remarks by a top US military official regarding Islamabad’s ‘serious’ contributions to fight terrorism. Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said that US General Joseph Dunford's allegations that the notorious spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (IS) has ties with militant groups is false.
He also said that Pakistan is not a safe haven for terror groups and countries security forces have taken indiscriminate action against terrorists’ hideouts.
The FO official also lashed out at the US saying ‘it cannot scapegoat Pakistan for its failures in Afghanistan’.
“Pakistan has begun a decisive offensive against terrorists on its soil,” the spokesperson said, calling General Dunford's statement ‘baseless’.
"The US is trying to blame Pakistan for its failures in Afghanistan," he noted.
The reaction from Islamabad comes two days after Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dunford informed the US Senate Armed Services Committee that ‘it is clear to me that the ISI has connections with terrorist groups’.
According to Zakaria, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif discussed regional security with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday and will also meet National Security Adviser General McMaster during his visit.
FO says India involved in ‘economic terrorism’
Zakaria also accused India of using terrorist organisations like Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA) against Pakistan.
The FO also accused India of being involved in "economic terrorism" and a plot to sabotage economic activity in Pakistan by attacking the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
He accused India of committing 1,000 ceasefire violations this year, which have resulted in deaths of 45 civilians and injured 155 others, including children and women.
Zakaria also mentioned Amnesty International's recent report on pellet gunshot victims and accused Indian forces of rape and 'braid-chopping' "as tools to terrorise Kashmiri women and deter the men".
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