Pakistan has right to defend itself against terrorism: US

Washington: Voicing concern over the spike in the cross-border terrorist attacks across Pakistan, the United States said Tuesday that Islamabad has the right to hit back at terrorism.

“The Pakistani people have suffered tremendously from terrorist attacks,” State Department Spokesman Ned Price told reporters at his daily news briefing.

“Pakistan”, he added, “has a right to defend itself from terrorism”.

On Monday, Pakistani National Security Committee (NSC) also said that no country will be allowed to provide sanctuaries and facilitation to terrorists and that Pakistan reserves the right to safeguard its people. The outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for much of the growing violence in the country, especially Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Balochistan.

“We’re aware of the recent statement by the Pakistani National Security Committee,” Spokesperson Price said in response to a question.

“We continue to call on the Taliban to uphold the very commitment they have made to see to it that Afghan soil is never again used as a launchpad for international terrorist attacks,: he said, adding, “These are among the very commitments that the Taliban have been unable or unwilling to fulfill to date.”