Pakistan taking action against all terrorist groups without discrimination: Foreign Office

Statement comes following Pentagon's refusal to pay Pakistan $300 million in military reimbursements

Hours after Pentagon's decision not to provide $300 million to Pakistan in military reimbursements, the Foreign Office reiterated on Thursday it was taking action against all terrorist groups without discrimination.

Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakariya during his weekly news briefing in Islamabad said Pakistan had suffered more than any country in war against terror, Radio Pakistan reported.

Sixty thousand people including, 6,000 security personnel have lost their lives, he said.



According to a US official, Pentagon made the decision after US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter decided not to tell Congress that Pakistan was taking adequate action against the Haqqani network.

Relations between the two countries have been frayed over the past decade, with US officials frustrated by, what they call, Islamabad’s unwillingness to act against extremist groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network.

The $300 million come under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), a US Department of Defense programme to reimburse allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-terrorist and counter-insurgency operations. Pakistan is the largest recipient.

Zakaria said Operation Zarb-e-Azb had seen a resounding success due to which last bastions of terrorists in the tribal areas was cleared.

Pakistan, he stressed, will continue its fight against terrorism and ensure terrorists do not return to the areas cleared.

Responding to a question about the US proscription of Jamaatul Ahrar, the spokesperson said Pakistan welcomes the decision, reminding that country had long been pleading to take concrete action against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) perpetrating attacks in the country from Afghanistan.



Zakariya said the primary objective of border management with Afghanistan was to regulate movement and avert incursions of terrorists and undesired elements.

Regarding the Kashmir dispute, the spokesperson was of the view that Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to the locals in their struggle to the right of self-determination.

While responding about the stranded Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia, Zakariya said the Pakistani mission in Riyadh had taken adequate steps to address the issue, saying the crisis was over to a great extent.