“It is important to ‘enlist’ Pakistan for defeating terrorists in Afghanistan” said a senior US general nominated to head US and Nato troops in that country.
The general appeared before the committee on Thursday for his confirmation hearing and a positive response from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers indicated that he would be promoted to the rank of a four-star general and confirmed.
“Improved coordination between Pakistan and Afghanistan along their shared border remains important to sustaining the momentum of the coalition forces’ counter-terrorism operations and to improve border security,” Gen Nicholson.
Gen Nicholson also acknowledged that Pakistan’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations in Fata has almost successfully reduced the militants’ ability to use Pakistani territory as a safe haven for terrorism and base of support for the insurgency in Afghanistan.
While noting Pakistan’s pressure on the Taliban he said“Pakistan must take persistent action against the Taliban, particularly the Haqqani Network”.