Pentagon asks Pakistan to stop cross border movement of terrorists and help US in Afghanistan
US Central Command Commander General Joseph Votel asked Pakistan, during a Pentagon press conference that Pakistan has to help US in bringing down the violence in Afghanistan by ensuring that there is no cross border movement of terrorists cross the border and use its influence on Taliban to bring them to the negotiating table.
General Votel said, “They need to ensure that they continue to ensure there can be no movement back and forth and that fighters can’t come back into Pakistan to get aid or medical care or other things with that”.
Remarks of US top General came a day after Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi wrapped up his US visit after meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US NSA John Bolton.
He said, “They have to help us lower the violence in Afghanistan, and they need to use their influence with the Taliban to force the Taliban leadership to come to the table. And they can do this, they can put pressure on them to do this”.
#Pentagon asks #Pakistan to use influence over #Taliban , stop cross border movementhttps://t.co/qMN37xI0a6
— Financial Express (@FinancialXpress) October 5, 2018
General Votel acknowledged that Pakistan has done a lot against the terrorists and said that it need to do more in the areas where US seeks its assistance, when he was asked a question on remarks of foreign minister of Pakistan that Pakistan has taken appropriate action against terrorists.
Votel said, “Those are the two things that we have continued to emphasize with Pakistan that they need to do. So, I do acknowledge that they have done a lot in their own country, but there is more to do and it is those specific areas right there where we are seeking their closest assistance”.
On the presence of terrorist groups General said that there still is presence in Pakistan and we need them (Pakistan) to continue to do that.