Washington : Terming the Pathankot terror strike as “another example of the inexcusable terrorism that India has endured for too long”, US President Barack Obama on Sunday demanded of Pakistan that it “de-legitimise, disrupt and dismantle” terrorist networks that operate from its territory.
In a tough message, Obama said that Pakistan “can and must” take more effective action against terrorist groups based there, emphasising that “there must be zero tolerance for safe havens and terrorists must be brought to justice.”
“Pakistan has an opportunity to show that it is serious about de-legitimising, disrupting and dismantling terror networks”, Obama told PTI in an interview here during which he answered a wide range of questions covering Indo-US ties, terrorism and outcome of the Paris climate change summit.
Obama also gave credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reaching out to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif after the Pathankot attack and said, “Both leaders are advancing a dialogue on how to confront violent extremism and terrorism across the region.”
Obama was of the view that Sharif recognised that insecurity in Pakistan is a threat to its own stability and that of the region. After the December 2014 school massacre in Peshawar he had vowed to target all militants, regardless of their agenda or affiliation.
“That is the right policy.
Since then, we have seen Pakistan take action against several specific groups. We have also seen continued terrorism inside Pakistan such as the recent attack on the university in north west Pakistan.”
Nawaz Sharif ADMITS Fresh Leads From India
LONDON: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has, meanwhile, said India has given fresh leads relating to the Pathankot terror attack and Pakistan is verifying the facts to bring the perpetrators to justice. “We are probing and verifying. Once we are done with that we would definitely bring the facts forward. Along with that, we have also formed a special investigating team, they would go to India and collect more evidence,” Sharif said here on his arrival from Davos after attending the World Economic Forum. ‘‘I had a word with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he had offered every help possible from their side in bringing the perpetrators to justice. We are going on the right lines and I hope the perpetrators will be brought to justice soon,”
