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A US lawmaker has said Pakistan is using terrorism as a tool for its strategic needs as a handful of US lawmakers sought additional measures against Pakistan insisting that the country has failed to take action against terrorist groups.
Keating is a ranking member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-Proliferation and Trade.
He said Pakistan used terrorism as a tool for its strategic needs and there was no reason to believe that it would change its policies.
Two of the top al-Qaeda leaders have been killed in Pakistan, Keating said, adding that the arms supply to Pakistan would be used against India.
The subcommittee held a hearing on the Pakistan-US relations and had invited former diplomats and experts.
In his testimony, the former top American diplomat, Zalmay Khalilzad, said “Pakistan now is a state sponsor of terrorism. There is no question that it supports the Haqqani Network, which we regard as a terrorist network.”
“It is also clear that it provides sanctuary and support to the Taliban,” he said while asking the administration to change its policy towards Pakistan.“We also need to suspend all military and non-education assistance,” he said in his testimony during the hearing titled ‘Pakistan: Friend or Foe in the Fight Against Terrorism?’
“Patience is growing very thin,” Congressman Matt Salmon, Chairman of the Asia and Pacific Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said.
Congressman Brad Sherman, ranking member of the subcommittee, said “Those who suggest giving aid to Pakistan need to give justification for using the tax payers’ money.”
This comes as the Afghan officials have long been raising concerns regarding the presence of the Taliban group and Haqqani network leadership councils in Pakistan.
They are saying that the two groups are having leadership councils based in both Quetta and Peshawar cities of Pakistan from where they launch attacks in Afghanistan.
Pakistan uses terrorism as a tool for its strategic needs: US lawmaker
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