Pak selective in its action against Taliban: US congressmen

Pakistan is being selective in its action against Taliban while cracking down on elements which it feels are causing trouble inside the country, but avoiding a campaign against other factions, according to the US congressmen.

Fresh from their visit to Islamabad and an in-depth interaction with the leadership of the country, a group of US Congressmen today said that Pakistan is not yet convinced that they need to take action against all groups of Taliban, as they do not pose a security threat.

"One could say that in one context the Pakistan government is very much concerned about a portion of the Taliban who are causing trouble in Pakistan. But they are not yet, I don't believe, convinced that they should take action across the board against all Taliban, particularly those Afghan Taliban who have moved across for sanctuary," senator Mike Crapo told reporters at news briefing.

"I believe it is very clearly one of the US goals to help Pakistan to understand that the entirety of the Taliban threat is real and to take action against the Afghan Taliban in Pakistan.

"However, I also believe that there is some progress there. In fact, it is a reality that there is a threat to Pakistan from the Afghan Taliban. But I don't believe that the — the Pakistan government has yet moved to that point," he said.