Sherman asks Pakistan to take action against militants

WASHINGTON: A top US official called Friday for Pakistan to take action against ‘all extremist groups’ ahead of a visit to Islamabad, which has sought reconciliation with militants both at home and in Afghanistan.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will meet on October 7-8 with officials in Pakistan, which has long faced US accusations of playing a double game in Afghanistan where the Taliban swept back to power in August.

“We seek a strong partnership with Pakistan on counterterrorism and we expect sustained action against all militant and terrorist groups without distinction,” Sherman told reporters. “Both of our countries have suffered terribly from the

scourge of terrorism and we look forward to cooperative efforts to eliminate all regional and global terrorist threats,” she said from Switzerland, her first stop on a trip that will also take her to India and Uzbekistan.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, a longtime critic of US military campaigns, said in an interview aired Friday that his government had opened talks with Pakistani Taliban about laying down their arms.”Some of the Pakistani Taliban groups actually want to talk to our government for some peace, for some reconciliation,” he told Turkey´s TRT World television. He said the discussions were taking place in Afghanistan with sections of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which has waged years of deadly attacks.”I repeat, I do not believe in military solutions,” Khan said.

Khan has encouraged the world to engage Afghanistan´s Taliban and provide economic support. Sherman praised Pakistan´s calls for an inclusive government in Afghanistan.”We look to Pakistan to play a critical role in enabling that outcome,” she said.