Pakistan not successful in closing down terrorist networks: US

The US State Department has said that Pakistan has not been successful in closing down terrorist networks and their supporters.

Washington, Oct 245 : The US State Department has said that Pakistan has not been successful in closing down "terrorist networks" and their supporters.

Replying to a question, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack made it clear that the US views Pakistan's performance in the war against terrorism as less than satisfactory.

McCormack said that there is an issue of al Qaeda, Taliban sympathisers operating in the tribal regions in the northwest of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan.

And Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and his government are very much aware that it's a problem. It's a problem for them, he added.

"We've seen the kind of violence that potentially can emanate from those regions and it is directed at us, it's directed at the Afghan populations. It's directed at Pakistani populations. So they understand very well what the threat is," McCormack said.

"Now, in those tribal areas, they have made some efforts. Thus far, they have not been successful in closing down these terrorist networks and those who are supporting them, the Daily Times quoted him, as saying.

"That's going to require a concerted effort. And we're going to continue to work with the Pakistan Government to see that there is no safe haven from which those terrorist groups and terrorists can operate," McCormack said.

He further said that President Pervez Musharraf had decided to support the US on his own and Washington had been supportive of his effort.

The two sides had been working together, with Pakistan itself having "launched numerous operations inside Pakistan to try to disrupt terrorist attacks as well as break up terrorist cells," McCormack added.

ANI