US action inside Pakistan can’t be ruled out: Khurram

LONDON: Minister for Defence Khurram Dastgir Khan said on Wednesday that the possibility of the US action inside Pakistan could not be ruled out.

He said that recent actions against Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) were part of operation Raddul Fasaad and had nothing to do with the American statements. He said the action had been taken to secure future of Pakistan and bring an end to terrorism so that no terrorist could target children in schools.

In an interview with BBC s Urdu Service, Khurram Dastgir said while many organisations had been banned at the international level yet Pakistan was taking action after a great deal of consideration. He said Pakistan could not take guns and start raiding its people but would take all the decisions after serious thinking.

He termed the Tweet by US president following by statements by different US officials height of anti-Pakistani thinking and said that the US needed to learn from Pakistan to fight terrorism instead of moving towards animosity.

The defence minister said, “Today’s Pakistan is more secure and stable which has been achieved after the successful operations and sacrifices of citizens, jawans and officers of the armed forces.

He held India responsible for deterioration in relations between Pakistan and the US and said New Delhi was using Afghan soil against Pakistan. He said the Pak-US relationship had gone beyond friendship and animosity and Islamabad had told Washington in categorical terms that it should not blame Pakistan for their failure in Afghanistan. He rejected reports of any deadline by Washington against Haqqani network emphasising that Pakistan is a sovereign and nuclear power and cannot be given any deadline.

Khurram Dastgir said though talks between Pakistan and the US had been held at the highest level but the strategic dialogue between the two countries was suspended. He said military assistance by US to Pakistan had almost ended.

He advised the US to speak in the language of cooperation as Pakistani nation, elected government and the armed forces had serious reservations over any negative and threatening language.

He elaborated the facilities being extended to the US forces in Afghanistan and pointed out that Pakistan had given half of its air space and land routes otherwise it would be difficult for American access in Afghanistan. Therefore he said instead of ‘no more’, the US should work with Pakistan.

The defence minister categorically said, “There are no safe havens for terrorists in Pakistan and if there are any, they are being eliminated through operation Raddul Fasaad.”

The minister said the US is yet to pay $10 billion to Pakistan under the Coalition Support Fund. He said Pakistani economy has reached a stage where it can support its armed forces.