US to continue ‘do more’ policy for Pakistan

WASHINGTON (92 News) - Continuing with the do more policy against Pakistan, US defense secretary-designate James Mattis has said that he would assert Pakistan to eliminate terrorists and terrorist safe havens from the country.

A written submission addressed to the Senate Armed Services Committee ahead of his confirmation hearing on Thursday, James Mattis wrote that the US has a long history of giving security assistance to Pakistan and if his “review” of the efforts made by Pakistan in countering terrorist fails, he will consider “all options”. “If confirmed, I will work with the State Department and the Congress to incentivise Pakistan’s co-operation on issues critical to our national interests and the region’s security, with a focus on Pakistan’s need to expel or neutralize externally-focused militant groups that operate within its borders,” Mattis said.
He further said that Pakistan has learned hard lessons due to the nexus between Afghan Taliban. “I believe they should do more to collaborate with their neighbor. We should urge Pakistan to take further actions against the Taliban and the Haqqani network,” Mattis said. Sanctuaries and freedom of movement for the Afghan Taliban and associated militant networks inside Pakistani territory is a key operational issue faced by the Afghan security forces. If confirmed, I will examine efforts to deny sanctuary to the extremist forces undermining the stability and security of Afghanistan,” he added.