Afghanistan Times
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AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: The US President Donald Trump has televised a new national security strategy on Monday that urged Pakistan to shun its duplicity and start decisive actions against terrorist outfits and dismantle their terrorist networks on Pakistani soil.
Outlining the US national security strategy, President Trump said “And we have made clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory and we make massive payments every year to Pakistan.”
“The United States continues to face threats from transnational terrorists and militants operating from within Pakistan,” Trump said.
“We see a Pakistan that is not engaged in destabilizing behavior and a stable and self-reliant Afghanistan,” Trump added.
But what should be worrying for the military generals in Rawalpindi is a clear call to end its “support for terrorists and militants” that have been targeting US troops in Afghanistan as well as interests in the region.
The security strategy further says Pakistan’s pro-terror policies could undermine the historic strategic relationships between the Washington and Islamabad.
The US security strategy also reiterated Trump’s earlier stand on Pakistan’s “destabilizing role” in Afghanistan, when he announced his broad strategy on South Asia in August. At that time he said, “Pakistan often gives safe havens to agents of chaos, violence and terror.”
Putting Pakistan on notice, Trump administration clarified, “No partnership can survive a country’s support for militants and terrorists who target a partner’s own service members and officials,” he referred to Pakistan’s state support to terrorist groups, including the notorious Haqqani network that have been attacking Afghan, US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
“We will further press Pakistan to intensify its counterterrorism efforts,” Trump noted.
The strategy furthered, “US will also encourage Pakistan to continue demonstrating that it is a responsible steward of its nuclear assets.”
Afghanistan has warmly welcomed the new US security strategy and termed it a cornerstone to defeat terrorism and bring peace and stability to Afghanistan.
