Two prominent US lawmakers have urged the Obama administration to consider suspending portions of its aid package for Pakistan, linking the disbursement to meaningful actions by Islamabad against all Islamist terrorist groups operating within its territory, including the India-centric outfits lashkar-e-Tayyeba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.
Slamming Pakistan for its failure to combat terrorists of all persuasions, Republican Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Democratic Ranking Member Eliot Engel have shot off a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry to consider a set of measures to force Islamabad to act decisively against all terror outfits.
“The United States should pursue a different approach with the Pakistani Government,” they write, adding: “We urge you to consider implementing travel restrictions, suspending portions of assistance, and sanctioning Pakistani officials that maintain relationships with designated terrorist groups.” “Such an approach would make clear that the US and Pakistan cannot have a true strategic partnership until Pakistan cuts all ties with terrorist organisations and renounces its use as an instrument of state policy,” they said.