US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Washington is prepared to play an effective role in addressing Pakistan’s security concerns regarding attacks allegedly originating from Afghan territory.
Speaking on Saturday, 31 October, on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, Rubio said the US had heard Pakistan’s concerns and was willing to help reduce tensions between Islamabad and Kabul.
He said Pakistan was concerned about terrorist attacks which, according to Islamabad, were being organised from Afghanistan.
Rubio added that Pakistan believed the Taliban had not taken sufficient action to prevent such attacks and had responded to what it considered security threats.
“We do not want Pakistan to be the victim of terrorist attacks. So, if there is a constructive role for us to play, we will play it,” he said.
The US secretary of state also said Washington did not have close relations with the Taliban, but opposed terrorism regardless of where it originated or whom it targeted.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of allowing militant groups, particularly the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), to use Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
