The United States has reminded Pakistan that it is still “on notice” to eliminate terrorist havens on its soil. Washington wants unequivocal cooperation in ending sanctuaries enjoyed by Taliban and “visible cooperation” from its long-time ally, a top American diplomat said. Alice Wells told the US Committee on Foreign Affairs that the current US administration is working with Pakistanis to uproot Taliban from its soil.

“Pakistan is on notice that we expect its unequivocal cooperation ending sanctuaries that the Taliban have enjoyed since the remnants of their toppled regime fled into Pakistan in 2001,” Wells told the US Committee on Foreign Affairs. She said US policy of coercing Pakistan into accepting its demands has not been very effective. She said the US is engaging with all of Afghanistan’s neighbours to build regional support for the war-torn nation.  

Islamabad maintains that its forces have taken indiscriminate action against Taliban’s presence and there are no more sanctuaries of Taliban in Pakistan. It blames Washington for its failures in Afghanistan. 

Despite making some progress, the US hasn’t seen Pakistan taking any major steps in the removal of terror havens from its soil – said Wells during a review of Trump administration’s one year of South Asia strategy.  

The beginning of 2018 saw Donald Trump accusing Pakistan of taking “billions and billions of dollars” from the United States and giving sanctuary to terrorists that it was supposed to eliminate. A few days later the US blocked $2 billion worth of aid to Islamabad as punitive measures. 

On US South Asia strategy testimony before Senate Foreign Relations Committee, United States’ Deputy Secretary said, “We intend to hold Pakistan accountable for its failure to deny sanctuary to militant proxies”.