26 May 2017

News Story: Pakistan ‘Using Insurgents To Pressurize Afghan Govt’

By Mir Aqa

The U.S Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan Coats has accused Pakistan of using Afghan insurgents as tools to put pressure on the Kabul government in a bid to halt India’s rising influence in Afghanistan. 

He said that the insurgent groups operating in Pakistan are posing serious threats to Afghanistan’s long term stability and they threaten the interests of the United States.

He said that Pakistan is seriously concerned about its isolation on an international level, adding that for this purpose, Pakistan has turned to China.

He also said that China is working to expand its influence in the Indian Ocean with the help of Pakistan. 

In his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Coats along with Lieutenant General Vincent R. Stewart, director of the defense intelligence agency, shared their intelligence findings with the committee. 

The two officials also stated Pakistan had failed to suppress insurgency.  

“Pakistan is concerned about international isolation and sees its position through the presence of India’s rising international status including India’s expanded foreign outreach and deepening ties to the United States. Pakistan will likely turn to China  to offset its  isolation, empowering a relationship that will help Beijing to project influence in the Indian Ocean. 

“In addition, Islamabad has failed to curb militants and terrorists in Pakistan. These groups will present a sustained threat to the U.S’s interests in the region and to continue to plan and conduct attacks in India and Afghanistan,” said Coats.  

Read the full story at TOLOnews