The US hails Pakistan’s plan to ban then Haqqani Network

Washington, January 16: The US has welcomed a reported step by the Pakistan government to ban the Haqqani Network, blamed for attacks on American and the TO–led forces in Afghanistan, media reported. “We welcome reports that the government of Pakistan plans to outlaw the Haqqani Network,” Xinhua quoted US State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf as saying on Friday. “It is an important step toward elimiting terrorist activity in Pakistan,” the official said.  The Haqqani Network is among 12 organisations on which the Pakistani government has decided to slap a ban, a Pakistan media report said on Thursday. Washington had branded the Taliban–affiliated group as a foreign terrorist organisation in September 2012 and later pressed Islamabad to flush it out. US Secretary of State John Kerry earlier this week in Pakistan called for action against all militant groups including Afghan Taliban, Haqqani Network, and Lashkar–e–Taiba.  (IANS)