No resumption of security aid until Pak addresses terror concerns: US

The Pentagon said today that it won't resume security aid to Pakistan until it addresses US concerns on terror safe havens.

"The US government has been very honest and open both publicly and privately with Pakistan on the things that they need to address before we can move forward with the resumption of the aid that has been suspended," Lt Col Mike Andrews, a spokesperson of the Department of Defence told PTI.

Mike Andrews had recently visited Afganistan with US defense secretary James Mattis last week to review security in the region.

"I won't get into real specifics. The sanctuaries inside of Pakistan where were Taliban fighters can go over the border, can attack and come back and be safe," Andrews said, adding,"So if Pakistan does this, it would be good for Pakistan, Afghanistan, good for India, be good for the entire region." 

"That's what we want...a safe and secure region where terrorists cannot launch attacks like 9/11 or launch attacks into Europe or into India," he asserted.

In an attempt to keep the pressure on Pakistan, US Vice President Mike Pence had recently told Pakistan PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi that his country "must do more" against the Taliban and other militants as the relations between the two nations continued to on the boil.

The US government had suspended $1.5 security assistance to Pakistan in January accusing the Abbassi-led government of providing safe havens to Taliban and the Haqqani Network.

"The US government has been very honest and open both publicly and privately with Pakistan on the things that they need to address before we can move forward with the resumption of the aid that has been suspended," Lt Col Mike Andrews said.