US called on Pakistan to help reduce terrorist attacks in Afghanistan

U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice told to top Paksitani civilian and military officials in Islamabad that attacks in neighboring Afghanistan by Pakistan-based militants were “absolutely unacceptable,”.

In a daylong visit to the capital, Islamabad, Ms. Rice met with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Gen. Raheel Sharif, the army chief, and other senior government officials. Ms. Rice also formally extended an invitation from President Obama to Mr. Sharif to visit Washington in October.

Ms. Rice pressed Pakistan to do more to prevent terrorists from using its territory as a base for attacks on its neighboring states and to improve ties with India and Afghanistan. Islamabad accuses both countries of sponsoring anti-Pakistan militants.

“In Islamabad discussed how to deepen coop. to tackle shared priorities. Encouraged Pakistan to advance regional peace & stability,” a post on Ms. Rice’s Twitteraccount said on Sunday. She met Mr. Sharif and the country’s army chief, Gen. Raheel Sharif.

A senior U.S. official who briefed reporters in Islamabad said Rice brought up this month’s rash of attacks that killed more than 50 people in the Afghan capital as an example of how militants based in Pakistan continue to destabilize much of South Asia.

“We think a series of recent deadly attacks in Kabul were perpetrated by the Haqqani network,” the official said.

“This is absolutely unacceptable,” the official added.

The Haqqani network was described as a “veritable arm” of the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency – Pakistan’s powerful military spy wing – by the then-chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2011.

Pakistan denies supporting the Haqqani network, an Islamist movement loosely allied with both the Afghan Taliban and al Qaida.

Rice also told Pakistan to “take advantage of the death of Mullah Omar and the Taliban leadership transition,” which provides opportunities to “degrade the Taliban” and “reduce violence,” according to the senior U.S. official.

The latest Kabul attacks came after the revelation of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar’s death two years ago, which derailed nascent peace talks initially hosted by Pakistan between the Taliban and the Western-backed government in Kabul.

Militant attacks have “developed into a key point of regional friction. Addressing this challenge will be imperative for Pakistan’s relations with its neighbor and with Washington,” the U.S. official said.

Pakistani officials say that while they are expected to do more against militants, there is also a need for Americans and Afghans to counter the threat. During the meeting, Pakistani officials expressed concerns over Washington’s possible withholding of $300 million in military aid if the United States decides that Pakistan is not doing enough to combat attacks emanating from within its territory.

A senior Pakistani security official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the meeting between Ms. Rice and General Sharif lasted for two hours. “The discussion was very candid,” he said. “It discussed the part that has to be played by all stakeholders, including the Americans. The focus was on the way forward.”

This comes as that earlier, Washington has warned Pakistan that it stands to lose $300 million in U.S. military aid if it doesn’t crack down harder on the Haqqani network, American officials said. U.S. officials have described the Haqqani network as closely tied to Pakistan’s military intelligence agency.