US considering dropping Pakistan as an ally over terror sanctuaries

Washington is considering dropping Pakistan as an ally amid growing pressures regarding the terror sanctuaries that remain intact despite repeated calls to take actions, it has been reported. Sources told The Financial Times that Washington is examining tougher measures to quell more than 20 terrorist groups operating using the Pakistani soil. “Thinking of Pakistan as an ally will continue to create problems for the next administration as it did for the last one”, said a former CIA analyst who now leads South Asia policy in the National Security Council. The Afghan and US officials have long been criticizing Islamabad for remaining reckless to act against the Taliban and Haqqani terrorist network sanctuaries as they claim that the leadership councils of the two groups are based in the key cities of Pakistan from where they plan and coordinate attacks in Afghanistan, including some of the deadly attacks on US forces. In August Trump said: “For its part, Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror. The threat is worse because Pakistan and India are two nuclear-armed states whose tense relations threaten to spiral into conflict. And that could happen”.