Safe havens for terror groups in Pak won't be tolerated: US

New Delhi: Sending a strong message to Pakistan from Indian soil, visiting US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said “terror havens will not be tolerated” in that country, and added that “too many terror organisations find a safe place in Pakistan”. He was addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi along with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who in turn said US President Donald Trump’s policy on South Asia could be successful only if Pakistan acts against all terror organisations operating from its soil and dismantles safe havens for terrorists on its territory.

The comments were made after the two held talks here. Sources said the US had earlier given a “to do” list to Pakistan, under which Washington had made it clear to Islamabad that it expected a time-bound complete crackdown on terrorists operating from Pakistani soil.

It is common knowledge that the Pakistan Army and its Inter-Services Intelligence wing have continued to use terrorists as a strategic asset against both India and Afghanistan.

Mr Tillerson also offered to provide India technology for its “military modernisation”, adding that industry offers for the F-16 and F-18 fighter aircraft were part of this. “India is a vibrant democracy. India and the US are natural allies. The US supports India’s emergence... The core of strong ties are the shared values — individual liberty and the rule of law. The future of the partnership has never looked brighter,” the secretary of state said, highlighting the two nations’ close strategic ties.

“In the fight against terrorism, the United States stands shoulder to shoulder with India. Terror havens will not be tolerated,” Mr Tillerson said. Answering a question from the media, Mr Tillerson pointed out that he had an “open and frank exchange” of views with the Pakistani leadership during his just-concluded visit there. He said he had conveyed the concerns of the US and its friends such as India and Afghanistan to the Pakistani leadership that “there are too many terrorist organisations that find a safe place in Pakistan” that carry out attacks against other countries. He added that the US has certain “expectations from Pakistan” and that it was putting in place a mechanism of cooperation with that country for intelligence-sharing and action to be taken to deny terrorist organisations the ability to launch attacks.

Mr Tillerson said the US was “concerned about the stability” of Pakistan  and that there was a threat to it from terrorist organisations which have “enlarged” themselves. “We want to work with Pakistan in a positive way,” he said.

In a veiled message to China, the American dignitary also highlighted the importance of the “freedom of navigation and the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region”.

Ms Swaraj, on her part, said the menace of terrorism that was a “very big threat before the world” was discussed extensively in her talks with Mr Tillerson and demanded that “Pakistan should take immediate steps to dismantle the terror safe havens” there. “President Trump’s policy (on South Asia) can be a success only if Pakistan does so,” she said, adding that “Pakistan has to act against all terror groups”.