India playing greater role in helping maintain free & open Indo-Pacific as QUAD member: US

Democrat senator from New Jersey Robert Menendez hailed India's effort in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Menendez, who was chairing the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on Tuesday, said as a member of Quad alongside US-Japan-Australia, India is playing a "great role" in helping maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. The statement from the Democrat Senator came nearly three months after US President Joe Biden held the first in-person meeting of Quad leaders with his counterparts from India, Australia and Japan. Notably, during the meeting, Biden hailed the role played by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in ensuring peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. Replying to POTUS,  PM Modi said, "The Indo-Pacific has great challenges and challenges have to be overcome. In six months from the last meeting so much has been accomplished. We stand here together in the Info Pacific region."

"Islamabad offered a safe haven to the Taliban"

Meanwhile, slamming the role of Pakistan in destabilising the Afghanistan government, Menendez said that the double-dealing of Islamabad lead to the collapse of the government. He also accused Pakistan of nurturing the Taliban terrorists in their country and blamed the extremist organisation for the killing of US troops in Afghanistan. "Islamabad offered a safe haven to the Taliban even as its militants targetted and killed US troops. We need to have a serious conversation with the Pakistani Government in our path forward," ANI quoted Menendez as saying.  

Watch: US Ambassador to Pakistan speaking on the issue of terrorism

It is worth mentioning a series of incidents unfolding in Afghanistan in mid-August after the Taliban ousted the Ashraf Ghani led-government and took control of the country. The dramatic fall of the government leads to the chaotic transition of the government, leading to the killing of US troops and more than hundreds of Afghans. "As I told this committee last month, the failure of our mission in Afghanistan was due, in a small part, to years of Pakistani double-dealing," the Democrat senator from New Jersey noted. He also welcomed the nomination of Donald Armin Blome as US Ambassador to Pakistan. Meanwhile, after being nominated for US Ambassador to Pakistan, Blome said he will push Islamabad to target all terrorist groups without distinction. "If confirmed, I will press Pakistan to target all terrorist groups without distinction," said Blome.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: ANI)