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Want Pakistan to combat and delegitimise terror entities: US

US wants Pakistan to "combat and delegitimise" UN-designated terrorist entities, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), National Security Advisor  (NSA) Susan Rice told her Indian counterpart Ajit Doval amid the war of words between India and Pakistan after the "cross-border" Uri terror attack, leading India pulling out of the SAARC Summit.

Rice spoke to Doval on Wednesday and "strongly condemned the September 18 cross-border attack on the Indian Army Brigade headquarters in Uri and offered condolences to the victims and their families," US National Security Council spokesperson Ned Price said in a press statement.

"Ambassador Rice reiterated our expectation that Pakistan take effective action to combat and delegitimise UN-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including LeT,  JeM and their affiliates," Price said. She affirmed President (Barack) Obama's commitment to redouble America's efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorism throughout the world, Price said.

"Ambassador Rice discussed our shared commitment with India to pursue regional peace and stability and pledged to deepen collaboration on counter-terrorism matters including on UN terrorist designations," she added.

India has blamed Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM for the Uri attack. In the backdrop of the heightened tension with Pakistan over the attack, India on Tuesday announced its decision to not participate in the SAARC Summit, citing increased "cross-border" attacks. 

US Senators ask Pak to cooperate with India on Uri

Expressing concern over initial indications that the Uri terror attack emanated from Pakistan, two influential US Senators on Thursday called on Islamabad to fully cooperate with India to bring to justice the perpetrators. 

"We are greatly concerned about initial indications that the perpetrators of this attack were Pakistani and that the attack emanated from Pakistan. If true, this attack would be just the latest in a series of deadly attacks in India conducted by Pakistan-based terrorist groups," Democrat John Cornyn and Republican Mark Warner said in a letter to PM Narendra Modi. 

They also called on Pakistan to cooperate fully with India to bring to justice perpetrators of the Uri attack at an army base in J&K, in which 18 soldiers were killed. 

US lawmaker slams Sharif for praising Wani in UN address

An influential American lawmaker slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for using the UN platform last week to praise a "militant".

"Disappointed to see the Pakistan PM use the UN to praise a militant group that uses violence to promote its cause," Congressman Ted Poe said in a tweet.

In his address to the UN General Assembly on September 21, Sharif described Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani a "young leader".

Poe is Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Terrorism, Non-proliferation, and Trade last week introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to designate Pakistan as a State sponsor of terrorism.

Co-sponsored by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, the bill has been sent to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for necessary action. 

India, Pak reach out to WB on Indus treaty

The World Bank, which had mediated the Indus Water Treaty, has said that India and Pakistan have approached the financial body on the deal and it was “responding in its limited, procedural role as set out in the treaty”.

“India and Pakistan have informed the World Bank that each has initiated proceedings pursuant to the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 and the World Bank Group is responding in its limited, procedural role as set out in the Treaty,” said a World Bank spokesperson.

“For further details on the proceedings brought under the Indus Waters Treaty 1960, your enquiry is best directed to the member governments,” the spokesman said, refusing to comment any further.

On Monday, PM Narendra Modi met officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty. In that meeting it was decided that India will “exploit to the maximum” the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact.

Pakistan, too, approached the World Bank after Modi. Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif said the treaty was a mutually agreed arrangement between India and Pakistan brokered by the World Bank and no one country can unilaterally separate itself from the pact. 
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