Agreeing with India's stance on terror, the United States has said that Pakistan must take "concerted action" to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the country and stop providing safe haven to terror groups on its soil. US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke of these Pak-based terror organisations after meeting India's foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale on Monday, March 11.
Gokhale arrived in the US on Sunday and spoke to Pompeo the next day discussing major foreign policy and security-related issues. He appreciated Washington for extending its support to India after the Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14 that killed over 40 CRPF personnel and injured several others.
The foreign secretary also discussed the security measures India had taken after the attack and Pompeo expressed an understanding of India's concerns in terms of cross-border terrorism, reported the Press Trust of India.
After Gokhale and Pompeo's meet, the foreign ministry released a statement on the same which said: "Foreign Secretary conveyed appreciation to the US Government and to Secretary Pompeo personally for the firm support that India received from the US in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Pulwama, in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. He apprised Secretary Pompeo about recent developments in this regard."
The two officials also agreed that those who "support or abet terror in any form should be held accountable."
Counter-terrorism has been one of the key agendas when it comes to a strategic partnership between India and the US and Washington is said to have played an important role in the release of IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman captured by Pakistan when his aircraft was shot down.
While the US has often lashed out at Pakistan for providing safe haven to terror groups, even suspending the $300 million aid to the nation, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani too has now slammed Islamabad and demanded "decisive action" against terrorists on its soil.
Iran too has suffered at the hand of these terror groups and the president said that a Pakistani suicide bomber carried out an attack in the southeastern province of Sistan-Balochistan on February 13, in which 27 Revolutionary Guards were killed and about 13 others sustained injuries. Speaking to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Rouhani said that a lot of these attacks have been traced back to Pakistan and that the Khan-government must deal with these terrorists.
"We are witnessing many terrorist attacks by terrorists who are unfortunately located on the Pakistani soil, and in dealing with these terrorists, whose existence are not in favour of us, you and the region, we are fully ready to cooperate with the Pakistani army and government," the Economic Times quoted the Iranian president as saying. "We are awaiting your strong action against these terrorists."
After the February 13 attack, the Revolutionary Guards had warned that they would enter the Pakistan territory and demolish these terror camps, if the Pak army and the ISI did not take action against them.
