Pak now realises threat posed by country based terror syndicate: Clinton

WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that Pakistan has now realised that a terror syndicate exists in the country, which threatens America as well.

In an interview with a private television channel, Clinton, who visited Islamabad earlier this week, said that she could sense an emergency in the Pakistan establishment concerning fighting against extremists.

“When I became the secretary of state, that wasn’t happening, there was not the extraordinary commitment of the military assets against different terrorist groups that we see now. The Pakistani government has reached its own conclusion that there is a syndicate of terror and some of it is directly aimed at undermining the state here,” Clinton told CBS.

She also highlighted that the “horrific attacks” on religious shrines, mosques and market places were aimed directly against Pakistan, so it was imperative for the government to respond to the challenge posed by the extremists.

“The terrorists’ approach was very much directed against Pakistan.So, Pakistan has responded and is working very hard. There’s a lot more to be done, I would be the first to tell you, as I think they would,” Clinton said.

Clinton, who announced a massive support fund for Pakistan’s economic and energy programmes during her two-day visit, said that the trust deficit between both countries was getting narrower.

“I believe we’re beginning to close the trust deficit to build greater confidence,” she said. (ANI)