Pakistan should take strong action against terrorists, warn India and US

Washington: India and the United States have increased the pressure on Pakistan with a warning, that it should take meaningful and credible action against terrorists without retreating. The United Nations has passed a resolution for stern action against those supporting terrorists. Following that, India and the United States have demanded, through a joint statement, that Pakistan must take action against the terrorists. At the same time, India using its political clout has initiated a strong campaign against Pakistan and concerns are being expressed in Pakistan that the United States too, is supporting the Indian campaign. Pakistan government is grasped by the fear that the country’s name will feature in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Black List.

The United Nations unanimously passed a resolution for strong action against the countries providing financial and other assistance to the terrorists. Thereafter, Nathan Sales, special representative for counter-terrorism in US State Department and Joint Secretary in the Indian external affairs department, Mahaveer Singhvi held discussions. The members of the delegations from both countries were present during the meeting. Nathan Sales assured that the United States is with India, in the war against terror. The statement published jointly by both the countries at this time, demands that Pakistan has should take decisive and credible action against terrorists without retreating. Even before this, the US State Department had made a demand with Pakistan in a very similar language.

Pakistan’s concerns are becoming graver due to the resolution passed by the United Nations and the subsequent actions by the United States and India. The Pakistani Ambassador has been demanding that while taking the stance against terrorism, the United Nations and the Security Council should set the politics aside.

China is playing second fiddle to Pakistan and warned the United States regarding the new resolution against Masood Azhar. But as of today, the discussions in Pakistan are, whether to save Azhar or Pakistan itself. India has successfully reached the message across to the countries in the world that Masood Azhar is an international terrorist and Pakistan is protecting him. The Pakistani analysts have pointed out that the support for India,on this issue, is increasing by the day and excepting China and to a certain extent Turkey, no other country is willing to stand by Pakistan. The FATF team has inferred that the Pakistani action, against the people funding the terrorists, is dissatisfactory. This has ended the possibility of Pakistan’s name being excluded from the Grey list of FATF. At the same time, as per indications, Pakistan’s name is likely to feature in the FAFT Black List. The Pakistani economists are warning that in that case, Pakistan’s avenues to raise funding from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank will be closed and the Pakistani economy will end in shambles. Therefore, these economists are demanding a strong action acceptable to the international community, against the terrorists, from the Imran Khan government. The analysts and economists have also pointed out that this time, Pakistan will not be able to fool the international community by feigning an action, against the terrorists.

Under these circumstances,the joint statement by India and the United States seems to have added to the pressure on Pakistan.