Pakistan rejects US charges it supports militants
The statement says the allegations are of particular concern now
Islamabad: Pakistan has summoned the U.S. ambassador to reject allegations in a Pentagon report that Islamabad supports militant proxies in neighboring India and Afghanistan.
A foreign ministry statement said National Security and Foreign Affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz conveyed the complaint to U.S. Ambassador Richard Olson in a meeting at the ministry.
The U.S. Defense Department report, titled "Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan," said militants battling in Afghanistan and India continue to enjoy safe havens in Pakistan, which uses the fighters as a hedge against its loss of influence in Afghanistan and as a counterweight to India's superior military.
The statement says the allegations are of particular concern now, given that the Pakistani military is waging a major offensive against militants in North Waziristan, a tribal region bordering Afghanistan.