Washington has held the remoteness of area and Pakistan army’s tactical limitations responsible for Islamabad’s failure to completely eliminate terrorists from FATA. This statement is based on ground realities but the US response that it backs Kabul’s claim regarding the existence of safe havens in Fata from where terrorists carry out attacks inside Afghanistan, is more worrisome. While talking to the media on Tuesday, US State Department has called for united efforts for the elimination of terrorists’ safe havens. The US has once again urged Pakistan to take action against perceived sanctuaries of terrorists in FATA. Afghanistan and US officials had long been claiming that Taliban militants cross the border into Afghanistan for attacks on foreigners and Afghan security forces besides they also infiltrate into India, which is a cause for concern. Pakistan’s past policies of extending support to the Taliban during and after the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan are still haunting it as Islamabad authorities have to reject the accusations of support and sanctuary for the Afghan Taliban and its leaders again and again before the world. It is often alleged that Pakistan covertly supports the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. Pakistan had lost its credibility when the most notorious terrorist of the world, Osama bin Laden, was found living safely with his family members in a compound located in Abbottabad. There are other such examples like the killing of Mullah Omar and Mullah Akhtar Mansour that further strengthen the idea that these militants enjoyed safe sanctuaries, and were being provided shelter by the establishment in Pakistan. The presence of the Quetta Shura is another shameful example that negates Islamabad’s claims that it has no links with the Afghan Taliban. Pakistan’s role is critical in rooting out terrorism from the region. It has long been accused that on the one hand Pakistan sees the Taliban as a strategic asset and proxy to promote the country’s interests and help it counterweigh India’s perceived influence in Afghanistan. By extending support to the Afghan Taliban in the past, Pakistan has put itself into a great trouble. It was like playing with fire. It is a difficult situation for Pakistan and its civil and military leadership, and they have to prove through action that it is no more in collusion with the Taliban. This situation needs complete introspection on part of the government and establishment in Pakistan. A complete review of the foreign policy has become necessary. Pakistanis are already degraded in the world due to the tag of militancy attached with this land. Now it is high time Pakistan made efforts to change world perception and proved through actions that it was not a country that sponsored terrorists. Pakistan needs to declare all militants in Pakistan and Afghanistan terrorists. There should not be any discretion on the basis of using militants as strategic assets. Besides, all stakeholder states must play their role for the elimination of militancy. *