Pakistan is continuing to provide safe harbour havens inside of Pakistan for terrorists who present risk to the U.S., the head of the Central Intelligence agency said Sunday.
Relations between U.S. and Pakistan are at their lowest as Washington recently suspended financial assistance to the Islamabad, worth hundreds of billions of dollars, over militant safe havens.
“We are doing our best to inform the Pakistanis that that is no longer going to be acceptable,” CIA chief Mike Popmpeo said on “Face the Nation” program broadcast on CBS television network. “So this – this conditioned aid, we’ve given them a chance. If they fix this problem, we’re happy to continue to engage with them and be their partner. But if they don’t we’re going to protect America.”
Pompeo said that President Donald Trump has made very clear that he needs Pakistan cease being safe haven for terrorists that threaten the U.S.
Pakistan has long been accused of providing safe havens to militants who launch attacks in Afghanistan, but Islamabad denies the charges.
The new U.S. strategy for Afghanistan announced in August last year aims more military pressure on the Taliban to push them to negotiating table.
Pakistan, however, has told U.S. that a major military offensive, without engaging some Taliban factions in direct talks first, could be counter-productive, according to Pakistani newspaper Dawn.
