Hillary Clinton presses Pakistan on terrorists safe havens again

ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton again pressed Pakistan today to act against terrorist safe havens, pointing out that militant groups have for long operated with impunity in the country and should not be tolerated.

Addressing a joint press conference with Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Clinton said while US was committed to the people of Pakistan and their future, it wanted its relationship with the country to "deliver results" for both sides.

"We should be able to agree that for too long extremists have been able to operate here in Pakistan and from Pakistani soil," said Clinton, a day after her meeting with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Pressing hard for action against militant groups perpetrating violence, including Taliban and the Haqqani network, she said: "No one who targets innocent civilians, whether they be Pakistanis, Afghans, Americans or anyone else should be tolerated or protected."

She also welcomed the efforts being made by India and Pakistan to normalise trade relations and said a thriving economy and a stable and prosperous Pakistan would serve the interests of the region.

She said the US and NATO coalition forces in Afghanistan were working hard to put pressure on the Taliban and "across the border we look to Pakistan to take strong steps to deny them safe havens".