UK PM harangues Pakistan over terror

British Prime Minister David Cameron speaks in Bangalore, India.


Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=136598§ionid=351020401


British Prime Minister David Cameron has asked Pakistan not to allow militants to use its territory as a base for attacks against its neighbors, especially India.

Pakistan cannot be allowed to harbor militants and promote terror against India, Afghanistan, or elsewhere, Cameron said during a visit to the Infosys headquarters in Bangalore, India.

He went on to say that US President Barack Obama was in agreement with him on Pakistan.

"We want Pakistan to emerge as a strong, stable and democratic nation. We cannot tolerate in any sense the idea that this country is... able, in any way, to promote the export of terror," the Hindustan Times quoted him as saying.

His remarks come only a few days after leaked US reports said Pakistan has secretly aided Taliban militants in Afghanistan. The leaked documents suggest that the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), one of Pakistan's two military intelligence agencies, was encouraging the Taliban as recently as last year.

The Pentagon called the release of some 91,000 classified documents by the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks a "criminal act."

The reports also raised new doubts about key US ally Pakistan.

The British prime minister launched the strongest British criticism yet of Pakistan, warning that the country could no longer "look both ways" by tolerating terrorism while demanding respect as a democracy.

Angry responses followed from Pakistani officials in the UK and the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad.

The row comes as Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari prepares for a visit to Britain next week. He is due to stay at the prime minister's country retreat of Chequers.