US President Barack Obama has urged Pakistan to show it is “serious” about crushing extremist networks operating on its territory, saying the latest mass killing of students underlined the need for more decisive action.
In an interview with the Press Trust of India published on Sunday, Obama said the crackdown on extremists was “the right policy” but was quoted as saying that Pakistan “can and must” take more effective action.
The US president praised recent crackdowns by security forces but said more should be done to eradicate violent Islamist groups.
“Pakistan has an opportunity to show that it is serious about delegitimising, disrupting and dismantling terrorist networks,” Obama told the news agency in Washington.
“In the region and around the world, there must be zero tolerance for safe havens and terrorists must be brought to justice.”
Twenty-one people were killed last Wednesday in an attack at a university campus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda town, which was claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, barely a year after a massacre at the Army Public School in Peshawar that killed 144 people.
A military offensive against extremists in tribal areas was intensified after the Peshawar attack, although Indian officials say authorities across the border still turn a blind eye to jihadist groups.
“Since then (Peshawar), we have seen Pakistan take action against several specific groups,” said Obama.
“We have also seen continued terrorism inside Pakistan such as the recent attack on the university in northwest Pakistan.”
India has blamed gunmen belonging to the Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-i-Mohammed for an attack on one of its air force bases close to the Pakistan border earlier this month that left seven soldiers dead.
Obama said the attack on the Pathankot base was “another example of the inexcusable terrorism that India has endured for too long”.
The attack came only days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had paid his first visit to Pakistan, dropping in for talks with his counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his way home from Afghanistan.
Modi has resisted pressure to put ties with Pakistan back in deep freeze after the air base attack, and Obama endorsed the continuation of contacts.
“Both leaders are advancing a dialogue on how to confront violent extremism and terrorism across the region,” Obama said.
With George Bush and his gang starting the “Do more” mantra, it has now been taken up by US President Barack Obama.
However, I honestly feel that the real solution to the problem of terrorism around the world lies not so much in ‘Pakistan doing more’ but in United States and its allies ‘doing less.’
For example, it was George Bush and Tony Blairs’ needless invasion of Iraq on fabricated grounds, disbanding of Saddam Hussain’s mainly Sunni army without making alternate replacement, imposing and keeping imposed Sunni-hating Nuri al-Maliki on Iraq, which forced Saddam’s disgruntled soldiers to rise in rebellion in various ways.
And despite seeing what the forced removal of strong ruler did to Iraq, Barack Obama and his allies, including some Muslim countries, are doing/trying to do the same to Libya and Syria, The West even financed, trained, armed and launched the anti-regime forces in Syria, some elements from amongst which turned into Daish and became a formidable force with Saddam Hussain’s disgruntled soldiers joining them. So, the West bears main responsibility for destabilizing the Middle East and creating monsters there which have started spreading far and wide.
Even the terrorism in Af-Pak region can be traced back to America’s revenge war with the Soviet Union, but here the major blame rests with Gen. Ziaul Haq who, against Pakhtun leaders’ sane advice, involved Pakistan into the war, mainly for strengthening his hold on power and to prolong his rule. The Mujahideen force that Gen. Zia created to fight this war is now catching us – and Afghanistan – by the throat.
Repeating my earlier request, I would say that instead of asking Pakistan to do more – while Pakistan is already doing a lot – US and its allies should do less (of mischief ) around the world and that would be a great favour to us, and indeed to the West as well, because the flames from the big fire that the West has lit up in the Muslim world , have now started scorching the West as well.
Karachi.
It is easy to blame other for your own clandestine malice motives and activities, no one had forced Pak to foster Taliban it is naive to say and think you are the good guys doing good for the rest of the world without rewards! Let us face the truth, you needed billions $$$ coming from US and Saudis in 80's plus all the latest armaments to use against India, you wanted the west to turn the 'blind eye' towards your stolen nuke and missile program that was meant to blackmail India till date.
So stop crying like a victim baby and do what you have promised the world you would. You are using Taliban to control Afghanistan and keeping India away, you are using the 'good terrorist' as when you want to embarrass India so stop this nonsense and come to your senses or you will suffer. Pak has little or no credibility left in the world including with the Arab nations.
It time to realize your shortcomings and act as a responsible nation in the international arena or you will seize to exist as we know it today!!!
Pres. Obama of all the world leader has been fair and objective and in his last year he really wants to say what is right for the world to do for its betterment!
Playing the blame game and exchange of emotional tantrums is a useless and endless waste of time, it solves nothing, it just creates more acromony. Whether it is the US or Pakistan, both have their equal share of the blame, blaming one another is way of avoiding responsibility. Both have to acknowledge their mistakes, both have to work together and get rid of the manace afflicting both. It is not just Pakistan who has to do more, the US must come clean and do as it preaches, and that means do more too.
Pakistan needs to get out of denial, introspect, realize there is no good or bad terrorists, shed terrorism as state policy. Hope good sense will prevail!.
I agree with you Murphy, but just like Pakistan, the US has good terrorists in Syria. Redical Islamists believe in enforcing their idealogy by force, and what makes it barbaric, their use of force has no limits, bound by no rules and have no redlines. US is backing terrorists in Syria fighting its proxy war, by calling them moderates. There is no such thing as a moderate terrorist; being a bit less barbaric does not amount to moderation.
My comments are only a reply to Mr Hashmi's. If they are not held-up for approval, why my reply ?
You Win – Pakistan Today.
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