Washington: Mounting international pressure on Imran Khan-led dispensation and in a rare but firm step the White House has categorically asked Pakistan to immediately end "support and safe haven" to all terror groups.
"The United States calls on Pakistan to end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.
Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has claimed responsibility for the attack at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday that left at least 37 CRPF personnel dead.
"This attack only strengthens our resolve to bolster counter-terrorism cooperation and coordination between the United States and India," she said in a strongly-worded statement.
"We express our deep condolences to the victims' families, the Indian government, and the Indian people for the loss of life in this brutal attack," she said.
Ms Sanders said the United States condemns in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attack in Pulwama by a Pakistan-based terrorist group.Earlier, the US Department of State also condemned the attack and said: "The UN designated, Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Muhammad has claimed responsibility for this heinous act. We call on all countries to uphold their responsibilities pursuant to UN Security Council resolutions to deny safe haven and support for terrorists".
On Thursday evening the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi "strongly reiterated" its appeal to all members of the international community to support the proposal to list terrorists, including JeM Chief Masood Azhar, as a designated terrorist under the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council and to ban terrorist organisations operating from territories controlled by Pakistan.
The MEA statement also said that done by Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based terror group led by the international terrorist Masood Azhar, "who has been given full freedom by Government of Pakistan to operate and expand his terror infrastructure in territories under the control of Pakistan".(UNI)