US not considering sanctions on Pakistan

WASHINGTON: The United States (US) has not been considering to impose sanctions on Pakistan and that the recent operations Pakistan conducted along the border with Afghanistan are encouraging, said the US State Department on Tuesday.

"We continue to have conversations with the Government of Pakistan at the highest level. And our basic point in all of these conversations is that Pakistan must target all militant groups, including those that target Pakistan’s neighbors, and eliminate all safe havens," said Mark Toner, State Department spokesman, at the daily press briefing.

"We have been encouraged by some of the steps they’ve taken, some of their recent counterterrorism operations along the border with Afghanistan."

The US is working with Pakistan to increase those efforts and apply more pressure on these (militant) groups, he added.

The spokesman said that it is in the interest of Pakistan and Afghanistan to go after these terrorist groups, to root them out, and to destroy them.

"The ultimate goal is we want to see peace and stability in the region, and so that’s going to involve efforts on Pakistan’s part, as well as the ability of the Afghan government to provide the stability and security to its own people," he said.