Aus says Pak can no longer allow legal & physical space to extremists to operate from its soil

MELBOURNE: Australia on Tuesday asked Pakistan to take “urgent and meaningful” action against terrorist groups including JeM and said it can no longer allow extremist groups the legal and physical space to operate from its territory.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne’s statement came hours after Indian fighter jets struck Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)’s biggest terror camp in Pakistan in a pre-dawn attack.

She also urged India and Pakistan to “exercise restraint” and engage in dialogue to ensure issues are resolved peacefully.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) bombed terror camps at multiple locations across the Line of Control (LoC) on the Pakistani side in a pre-dawn strike, 12 days after the Pakistan-based terror group JeM carried out the Pulwama attack in Kashmir.

The Australian Government is concerned about the relations between India and Pakistan, Payne said.

“Pakistan must take urgent and meaningful action against terrorist groups in its territory, including Jaish-e-Mohammed which has claimed responsibility for the 14 February bombing, and Lashkar-e-Taiba,” she said.

The Minister said that Pakistan must do everything possible to implement its own proscription of JeM.

“It (Pakistan) can no longer allow extremist groups the legal and physical space to operate from its territory,” the Minister said.
(AGENCIES)