US expects Pakistan to take sustained and indiscriminate action against all terrorist groups, says new American envoy

The US expects Pakistan to take sustained and indiscriminate action against all terrorist groups, Washington's new envoy here has said, stressing that America will continue to engage partners, allies, and key states around the world on how best to address terrorism.

Ambassador Donald Blome arrived in Pakistan late last month to take over the charge of the US mission.

His immediate task would be to ease the strained ties and rebuild the bilateral relations which had been under stress for the last many years due to the mistrust over the issue of terrorism and the Afghan Taliban.

Ambassador Blome in an interview with Dawn newspaper on Monday hinted that counterterrorism cooperation will remain a defining feature of the US-Pakistan relationship for some time to come.

He said the US was seeking “a strong partnership with Pakistan on counterterrorism” and expects from Islamabad “sustained” and indiscriminate action against all terrorist groups.

The ambassador was specifically asked to clarify if the US pursuit for strengthening counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan included negotiations over drone basing access closer to Afghanistan, but he avoided a direct reply.

“The United States is committed to preventing the re-emergence of terrorist threats, in Afghanistan or anywhere else. Fighting terrorism is a global effort,'' he said.

''We will continue to engage partners, allies, and key states around the world on how best to address terrorism,” he said while referring to President Joe Biden’s statement in which he had talked about developing capabilities and deploying assets in the region to prevent the re-emergence of terrorists from over the horizon.

On Afghanistan, the envoy said, the US would work with Pakistan to “press the Taliban to prevent terrorist groups from using Afghanistan as a base for external operations and to meet the international community’s expectations — including pressing the Taliban to adhere to their counterterrorism commitments, form an inclusive government, and protect the rights of women and girls”.

Blome welcomed Pakistan’s “ongoing efforts in countering the financing of terrorism and prioritizing anti-money laundering measures”.

His remarks come ahead of the Financial Action Task Force’s plenary meeting in Berlin on June 14. The global illicit financing watchdog will review the progress made by Pakistan, which has been on its ‘grey list’ since June 2018.

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