PESHAWAR - The United States has renewed its call for the Pakistani military to disrupt all terrorist networks as part of the ongoing offensive in its tribal badlands near the Afghanistan border.
While underlining the need for action against the insurgent outfits, a top US diplomat on Tuesday suggested the US remained concerned at the Haqqani network’s presence in Pakistan.
US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Jarrett Blanc told a group of journalists in Islamabad: “We have been very clear with the government of Pakistan that terrorist networks, who launch attacks from here, need to be disrupted.”
Blanc, concluding his visit to Kabul and Islamabad, said the US expected Pakistani security forces would not discriminate among militants and go after all those threatening security in the region.
Hopeful about the revival of the Afghan reconciliation process, he believed the dialogue would resume soon. “We are absolutely hopeful that the process can be resumed. It is for Taliban to decide on talking to their government.”
Hours earlier, the Taliban announced Mullah Omar’s family had pledged allegiance to the movement’s new chief, Mullah Akhtar Mansour. The envoy indicated the Taliban would decide on talks with the Afghan government after ending the transition process.
Blanc insisted the resumption of dialogue depends on the Taliban, saying all stakeholders, including the Afghan government, believed a political settlement was still possible.
The US and regional powers, including China and Russia, had agreed to support the Afghan-led peace process, he added. “There is broad-based consensus on the Afghan-led peace process. It’s not in the interest of any of us to be competing with one another in Afghanistan.”
The first-ever direct peace talks between representatives of the insurgent group and the Ashraf Ghani administration was held in Murree in June, raising hopes for agreement on a lasting settlement.
However, the announcement of Taliban’s supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar led to the suspension of the second round of the dialogue in late July. Omar’s successor is yet to make up his mind on engagement with Kabul. (Pajhwok)