Terrorism is a threat to Pakistan and turning a “blind eye” to the problem is no solution, former US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice said.
“After the Mumbai attacks in 2008, I came to India, my statement was public. I said it (the attack) was unacceptable and Pakistan must bear some of the responsibility,” Rice said, addressing the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit on Saturday.
“Many Pakistanis are tired of terrorists. Their leader Benazir Bhutto was killed by the extremists in 2007,” she added.
The former US secretary, however, stressed the need for cooperation, saying, “We have to work with Pakistan.”
Rice said the 9/11 attacks on World Trade Centre and Pentagon had changed the concept of security in modern days.
Terming Taliban-ruled Afghanistan ‘failed state’ before the US military operations started in the country, she added that “ungoverned territories” and not big nations are the breeding ground for terrorists.
Stressing India-US ties, she said the two countries had been sharing intelligence inputs to fight terrorism.
“India and the US have worked together to deal with stateless terrorists who kill the innocent.”
According to Rice, the “challenge is to stop before a terror attack happens” so that lives can be saved.
