Taliban, Haqqani still enjoy safe havens in Pak: Pentagon

Asserting that the Taliban and the Haqqani network still enjoy safe havens in Pakistan, a top US Army General on Thursday told the lawmakers that it was “very difficult” to contain insurgency in Afghanistan if Islamabad continues to harbour terrorists on its soil.

In his new South Asia Policy in August last year, President Donald Trump had called for tougher measures against Pakistan if it fails to cooperate with the US in its fight against terrorism.

 The US also blocked about USD two billion in security assistance to Pakistan for its failure to act against terror groups operating from its soil and attacking US forces in Afghanistan.

Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee,  General Mark A Milley, Chief of Staff of the US Army, said to the end insurgency in Afghanistan, it was important to reduce the threat of terrorism something that can be handled on a routine basis by the internal security forces.

“It’s very, very difficult to eliminate any insurgency if that insurgency has safe haven in another country. But right now, the Taliban, the Haqqanis and other organisations do, in fact, enjoy some safe haven in the border regions on the Pakistani side of the border. Pakistan has got to be part of the solution,” told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing.

Gen. Milley said the role of Pakistan was key to the solution.