They need to stop harboring terrorists: Pompeo wants Pakistan to do more

Photo: AFP US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused Pakistan of harboring terrorists and said that the US administration "needs Pakistan to do more". “We need Pakistan to do more,” Pompeo told Fox News. The US secretary of state claimed that the terrorists who "departed from Pakistan" was the reason behind the conflict between Pakistan and India. “We saw what happened with India, the conflict that arose there as a result of terrorists that departed from Pakistan,” Pompeo said. “We need the Pakistanis to step up. They need to stop harboring terrorists.” Related story: Pakistan adds Hafiz Saeed’s JuD and FIF to proscribed organisation list The US secretary of state was apparently commenting on recent tensions between Pakistan India which arose after the February 14 suicide attack on Indian troops in the Pulwama area of Indian-Administered Kashmir. The attack was reportedly claimed by the Jaish-e-Mohammad, a militant group led by Masood Azhar. The Pakistan Air Force shot down two Indian fighter jets over Kashmir on February 27 a day after Indian planes violated Pakistani air space. An Indian pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was also captured but was later released by PM Imran Khan’s government as a “gesture of peace”. Related story: Masood Azhar’s brother, son detained in crackdown against banned outfits On March 5, Pakistani officials announced that they were taking action against militant groups and have arrested 44 people, including a brother and son of JeM leader Azhar. Jamaat-ud-Dawah, a religious group led by Hafiz Saeed, was also added into the list of proscribed organizations and the seminaries and mosques affiliated with JeM and JuD were taken over by the government. Follow SAMAA English on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.