Pakistan rejects US remarks of selective approach as 'misplaced, self-contradictory'

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday termed as 'misplaced and self contradictory' the  remarks by the United States that it was being selective in targeting terrorists and did not go after the groups threatening its neighbours.

"We have taken a serious note of the remarks made by the US Department of State's deputy spokesman Mark Toner which are self-contradictory and oblivious of the fact that Pakistan has taken concrete measures to counter terrorism in a phase-wise manner keeping in view Pakistan's national security concerns," the Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.

Nafees Zakaria said during their recent visit Senator John McCain and other US legislators and congressmen were unanimous in acknowledging the remarkable achievements made by Pakistan in its counterterrorism drive.

"They visited Miranshah and observed the situation on ground for themselves," he added, noting that Senator McCain on his return also wrote an article on his experience in Pakistan.

The FO spokesperson reiterated that terrorism was more of a concern to Pakistan than its neighbour.

"The arrest of the neighbour's active service officer who publicly confessed his state's involvement in perpetrating and financing terrorist and subversive activities in Pakistan surprisingly did not prompt any statement by the US," lamented Zakaria, without naming India.

"I also wish to remind the US deputy spokesman of the statement by Mr Chuck Hagel in February 2013 that Pakistan's neighbour uses the soil of another neighbour of Pakistan to finance instability in Pakistan," he said.

"Gen McChrystal's 2009 report had also mentioned the neighbour's activities from the territory of another of Pakistan's neighbour and that they could be detrimental to stability in Pakistan and the region."

He went on to say that the factors behind spread of terrorism in Pakistan and the colossal losses inflicted on Pakistan in terms of loss of over 60,000 innocent lives and billions of dollars loss to the economy are obvious now.

Given these ground realities together with the inhuman treatment meted out by the neighbour's forces to the defenceless and innocent (Kashmiri) people struggling for their right to self-determination in Kashmir, the FO spokesperson said: "The remarks of Mr Toner are misplaced and are not sensitive to Pakistan's security concerns.

Earlier on Thursday, the US had alleged Pakistan of going after terrorists groups 'selectively' urging Islamabad to eliminate all groups, even those that might not threaten Pakistan itself but threaten its neighbours.

"Pakistan has taken and is taking steps to counter terrorist violence, and certainly focusing on those groups that threaten its stability. They’ve restored government control to parts of Pakistan that were used as terrorist safe havens for years," said U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner during the daily media briefing.

He said that these steps have contributed to security interests in the region and they’ve come at a cost of Pakistani lives lost.

"But at the same time, they must target all militant groups and close all safe havens," said the spokesman.

"They’re going after groups, but selectively," he continued further, adding that we need to see them go after even those groups that might not threaten Pakistan itself but threaten its neighbours.