US slams Pakistan for not taking action against LeT and Haqqani network

Terrorist safe havens not only continue to exist in the tribal areas of Pakistan, but militants are able to openly raise funds from heavily populated areas as well, the US said today, alleging that Islamabad is not taking action against terror groups like Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

As a result, Pakistan-based terrorist groups continue to conduct terrorist attacks inside India and Afghanistan, the State Department said in its annual 'Country Reports on Terrorism - 2015', which is mandated by Congress.

"In 2015, an assortment of terrorist groups, to include the Haqqani Network, attempted to hide in or operate from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan, a mountainous region along Pakistan's northwest border with Afghanistan," the State Department said.

It said some UN-designated terrorist groups, such as Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) affiliates Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation, were able to raise funds and hold rallies in Pakistan.

LeT and JuD leader, Hafiz Saeed, who is also a UN-designated terrorist, was able to make frequent public appearances in support of the organisation's objectives, which were covered by the Pakistani media, for much of the year.

"In September, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Agency prohibited media coverage of LeT and affiliated groups, although the groups continued to recruit and operate around the country. Despite JuD and FiF's proscription under UN sanctions regimes, the Pakistani government affirmed in December that neither organisation was banned in Pakistan," the State Department said.

India, the State Department said continued to experience terrorist attacks, including operations launched by Maoist insurgents and transnational groups based in Pakistan.

In July, India experienced a terrorist attack in Gurdaspur, Punjab; the first in Punjab state since the 1990s, the report said.

Over the course of 2015, the Indian government sought to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation with the US.

President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued to prioritise counter-terrorism cooperation during Obama's visit to India in January and Modi's visit to Washington in September.

The Indian government closely monitored the domestic threat from IS and other terrorist organisations, it said.

The State Department said Pakistan is slow in taking action against 2008 Mumbai attack perpetrators.

-PTI