After facing flak, Pak says fully resolved to fight terrorism

Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday said it was fully resolved to fight terrorism and had taken strong measures against the menace, a day after the US listed it among nations providing "safe havens" to terrorists.

"Our efforts have been met with success, and acknowledged by a number of countries including the United States," Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said at the weekly briefing.

He said that various delegations, who came to Pakistan from the US and other countries, have visited the affected areas, which "we successfully cleansed from terrorism."

His remarks came a day after the State Department in its annual 'Country Report on Terrorism', as mandated by the Congress, said that Pakistan did not take substantial action against the Afghan Taliban or Haqqani, or substantially limit their ability to threaten US interests in Afghanistan.

"Pakistan did not take sufficient action against other externally focused groups, such as LeT and JeM in 2016, which continued to operate, train, organise, and fundraise in Pakistan," the report said, noting that the Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed continued to address large rallies.

Reacting to the State Department report, Zakaria said Pakistan was fully resolved to fight terrorism and had taken strong measures against it.

He, however, accused India of targeting the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Zakaria also that India was not extending support to the a UN observer group, which has the mandate to monitor the ceasefire violations at the LoC and Working Boundary in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

"We have repeatedly urged the Indian side to permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UNSC resolutions," he said.

India maintains that UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the Line of Control.

Zakaria said that 21 civilians were killed and 30 others injured in LoC firing in 2017, while the ceasefire violations have increased from 382 in 2016 to 580 this year.

He said Kashmir is a core dispute between Pakistan and India, and it threatens the peace and stability of region.

Pakistan believes in peace and resolving all outstanding issues with India through negotiations, he added.