US asks Pakistan to take ‘meaningful action’ against terrorists

The US on Wednesday asked Pakistan to take “meaningful action” against terrorist groups a day after India targeted a major terror training camp across the Line of Control (LoC).

Moreover, the Donald Trump administration called for India and Pakistan to “exercise restraint” amid heightened tension between the two nations.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke separately with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

“I encouraged both ministers to prioritise direct communication and avoid further military activity,” he said.

“I also expressed to both ministers that we encourage India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost,” Pompeo added.

Pompeo said that in talks with Qureshi, he stressed on avoiding military action, and the urgency of Pakistan taking meaningful action against terrorist groups operating on its soil.

India on Tuesday bombed and destroyed JeM’s biggest training camp in Balakot in Pakistan killing a “very large number” of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders. 

Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is in China for a meeting with the foreign ministers of Russia and China, defended the air strikes across the LoC.

“It wasn’t a military operation. No military installation was targeted. The objective was to act against terrorist infrastructure of JeM,” Swaraj said.