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Pakistan will have to eliminate LeT, says Powell

TimePublished on Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 13:47, Updated on Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 15:40 in World section

POWELL ON PAKISTAN AND INDIA: The US wants the two countries to swoop down on and finish terror camps

POWELL ON PAKISTAN AND INDIA: The US wants the two countries to swoop down on and finish terror camps


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Washington: Pakistan's actions against terorrists is being seen with scepticism. In an interview to Foreign Affairs analyst Fareed Zakaria on CNN Global Public Space, Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Pakistan needs to live up to its promise on eliminating the Lashkar-e-Toiba.

Powell said, "This time, as Pakistan says it is going to do, we have to do something about Lashkar-e-Toiba. I mean, they said they were going to eliminate them. Well, they haven't."

Upon Zakaria asking if Pakistan made promises to go for the perpetrators of terror, Powell said, "They promised. And they went about saying, see, they're not there anymore. Well, where did they go? Well, they're somewhere. And they change names and they change form.

Just the other day, the Pakistani government arrested a number of people and said they had raided seven camps. And the question then immediately occurred to me, why are there seven camps?"

Powell recounted how the international community has been worried about the situation becoming worse if Pakistan does not tackle the matter now.

"So, the Pakistanis have to make a strategic choice, both a political choice, a military choice, and a choice on the part of the Inter-Services Security apparatus - really is the one that is in charge of this, their intelligence system - that we can no longer pay the price of having this kind of terrorist organization inside of Pakistan. And we can no longer wink and nod and pretend that it isn't there when it is there, and they have to take them on. And if they don't, then you will have these incidents over time, and the situation will remain unstable."

Powell believes that the situation had begun to improve between the two nations in the recent few years.

"There has been a lot of progress in relations between India and Pakistan since the crisis of seven years ago. And I was very pleased to see, first, bus travel start,and then cricket teams going back and forth. That's how you sort of start to build confidence. And both nations have benefited from that," Powell added.

Powell was also appreciative of the fact that India and Pakistan did see reason even though the turmoil of November 26 was intense for everyone.

"I sense that, as tragic as this four-day period was in Mumbai, both the Indians and the Pakistanis realize you cannot let these 10 murderers, these 10 terrorists, drive the policies of two countries where those policies have brought them some rapprochement and progress in recent years. So, let's get the emotion out of this. Let's talk to one another. Let's see if we can find all the perpetrators,"Powell added.

In the end, Powell had a word of caution for Pakistan. He said, "But I would say to my Pakistani friends, don't let it happen again. Don't allow these kinds of organizations to exist, either in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir or anywhere else. I think they really have to go after them."

Powell believes the US should continue their support of Pakistan and President Asif Ali Zardari.

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