New York: The United States has asked Pakistan to prosecute terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, saying the reduction of the Indo-Pak tensions would depend on Islamabad's seriousness in taking action against those who engage in "cross-border infiltration".
".... I think what we would like to see are the conditions whereby India and Pakistan can have a constructive conversation that leads to an improvement in relations between the two nuclear powers. And obviously, that is going to hinge on counter-terrorism, Pakistan's seriousness in ensuring that groups don't take advantage and engage in cross-border infiltration, that there are serious steps to implement the Financial Action Task Force action plan that Pakistan has committed to, and which includes the prosecution of UN-designated terrorists," said Alice Wells, US Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia.
"So whether it's Hafiz Saeed who currently is in custody and under prosecution, but also leaders of Jaish-e-Mohammed, like Masood Azhar, who long have been able to exploit their presence on Pakistani soil," she added. The JeM is responsible for carrying out many attacks in India. Its terrorists attacked the Parliament building and Jammu and Kashmir State Legislative Assembly complex in 2001, killing nine and eight people respectively. Pathankot terror attack in 2016, Pulmawa attack in February this year was also carried by the JeM. Since the day of his designation by the United Nations as a "global terrorist" in May, Pakistan is reportedly keeping the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed underground, preventing him from giving speeches in mosques or releasing audiotapes. Early this month, the Indian government had also listed Azhar under the new anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 1967.
Tensions between India and Pakistan are spiralling since Pulwama attack in India. On February 14, Pakistan-sponsored Jaish-e-Mohammed terror rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into a convoy in Kashmir's Pulwama, killing over 40 CRPF personnel. The tensions further escalated when India abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Following India's action, Islamabad ramped up its rhetoric against New Delhi and downgraded its bilateral ties.
Wells said that Washington is hopeful to see "rapid action" in the lifting of restriction which was imposed by India action of August 5. "...And I think we are interested in knowing the next steps in engagement and encouraging that political dialogue to begin, in which we'll also in the next - we hope to see rapid action in the lifting of the restrictions and in the release of those who have been detained," she said. She also criticised Khan for not speaking out against China, which has detained an estimated one million Uyghurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslims in Xinjiang province.
