Modi effect: US warns Pak over terrorist activities...

Washington: The United States has warned Pakistan against its land being used by the terrorists for planning g attacks in India.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the US congress, said that terrorism is being ‘incubated in India’s neighbourhood’, the US has asked Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used for planning attacks in India.

State department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said, on Thursday, "This is one of the steps that the US is encouraging Pakistan to do for the improvement of its relations with India."

What else Toner stated:

• "We believe that Pakistan and India stand to benefit from practical cooperation and encourage direct dialogue aimed at increasing cooperation and reducing tensions," said Toner and added that this can only be done after Pakistan ensures that its territory is not used to plan attacks in India and takes steps to address or to go after.
• “I think, all the terrorist groups that are currently using its territory,” stated the spokesperson.
• When asked that the statement for Pakistan may affect the US-Pak relations, the US spokesperson said, "Our bilateral relations withIndia and Pakistan are separate and stand on their own merits.”
• "I think it's important for the countries of the region that they all have constructive security relationships with each other. And that's Pakistan, that's India, and it's also Afghanistan," Toner said.

What PM Narendra Modi had earlier stated at US congress:

In his address to the joint sitting of US Congress here, Modi had said terrorism has to be fought-- with one voice-- as he commended the American Parliament for sending out a clear message by refusing to reward those who preach and practice terrorism for political gains.

His words were an apparent reference to the blocking of sale of eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.