Afghanistan Times
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AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: Tow American lawmakers have introduced legislation in the US Congress to label Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorisms, media reports said.
The bill, H.R 6069 or the Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation Act, calls for the US administration to make a formal call on the matter within four months of its passage, reported Times of India.
The bill was moved by Congressman Ted Poe from Texas, who is the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, and Congressman Dana Rohrabacher of California, who is a strong votary of the Baloch cause.
“Not only is Pakistan an untrustworthy ally, Islamabad has also aided and abetted enemies of the United States for years. From harboring Osama bin Laden to its cozy relationship with the Haqqani network, there is more than enough evidence to determine whose side Pakistan is on in the war on terror. And it’s not America’s,” Poe said in a statement on Tuesday announcing the bill.
“It is time we stopped paying Pakistan for its betrayal and designate it for what it is: a state sponsor of terrorism,” said Poe.
In a separate statement ahead of the bill, Poe condemned the terrorist attack on the Uri military camp in India on Sunday, saying this is just the “’latest consequence of Pakistan’s longstanding irresponsible policy of supporting and providing operational space for all stripes of jihadi terrorist groups.”
“Pakistan’s reckless behavior in this regard is a serious security risk to its neighbors – and India unfortunately pays the price all too often. We condemn this tragic attack, as well as Pakistan’s support for many criminals like the ones who carried it out, and stand firm in our commitment to our friends in India,” Poe said.
Several Congressmen and Senators flagged the Uri attack for attention — Senators Mark Warner, Pete Sessions, and Tom Cotton among them — expressing sympathy for India. While many excoriated Pakistan, there was not one taker for Pakistan’s conspiracy theory that somehow India had staged a false-flag attack on itself to divert attention from the “Kashmir issue.” There were no takers for the “Kashmir issue” either.
Recently, Afghan official said that Pakistan’s lack of will in dealing with insurgents stems from its “India phobia’, its military and civilian tension and its trust deficit with neighbors, Afghanistan’s.
Afghanistan demands the dismantling of safe havens in Pakistan to defeat terrorism.
“The way Pakistan behaves is because they have India phobia, there are military and civilian tensions and there is trust deficit between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Foreign Minister, Salahuddin Rabbani said when asked what motivates Pakistan in dealing with insurgent groups and its “lack of will” to help deal with Taliban and other terror groups.
He said Afghanistan does not expect the violence and terror to subside anytime soon “as the Taliban and affiliate groups are sustained with logistical, financial and material support from elements in Pakistan.”
During meeting, the two time-tested friends, Afghanistan and India have sent a strong message to those actors who are not sincere in fight against terrorism, saying that they are committed together to remove obstacles in fighting terrorism.
A statement following meeting between President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that both leaders discussed regional situation and expressed grave concern at continued use of terrorism and violence in the region for achieving political objectives.
They also stressed that elimination of all forms of terrorism, without any discrimination, is essential, they called upon the concerned to put an end to all sponsorship, support, safe havens and sanctuaries to terrorists, including for those who target Afghanistan and India.
In several occasions, Afghan leaders said that those countries who constantly supporting terrorism and shows double standard polices toward terrorism must be pushed toward isolation. President Ghani also said that terrorism is not a joke and it must be taken seriously. In an interview with Indian media, Ghani said that the countries which have failed to combat terrorism with sincerity must be pushed into sideline.
