ISLAMABAD: US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price on Tuesday said Pakistan had the “right to defend itself from terrorism” as Islamabad pushes Kabul to take action against militants on its soil and warns it will take cross-border action to safeguard its people.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been strained ever since the Pakistani Taliban or the TTP has stepped up attacks on security forces in Pakistan. Islamabad and Kabul have traded barbs over the attacks, with Pakistan’s interior minister saying last week that Pakistan may attack TTP hideouts in Afghanistan if the government there does not dismantle the group and hand over militants to Pakistan.
Pakistan’s National Security Committee earlier this week held an important meeting to take stock of the country’s security situation. After the meeting, Pakistan said it would not allow any country to shelter militants and that it had the right to safeguard its people.
Afghanistan on Tuesday responded to Pakistan, terming the recent statements from Islamabad as “regrettable” and urged Pakistan to “avoid baseless talks, provocative ideas.”
During a press briefing, Price said Washington was aware of the NSC’s recent statement.
“The Pakistani people have suffered tremendously from terrorist attacks. Pakistan has a right to defend itself from terrorism,” he said.
Price called on the Taliban to honor its commitment to not let the country be used as a “launchpad for international terrorist attacks.”
“These are among the very commitments that the Taliban have been unable or unwilling to fulfill to date,” he added.
