Thaindian News

Brussels, April 16 (IANS) The European Parliament has rebuked Pakistan for the slow progress in the fight against Taliban militancy in the country and directed the European Commission to appropriate financial aid to Islamabad based on its sincere efforts to eradicate terrorist groups.

The European Parliament issued two declarations Friday reprimanding Pakistan about the dangers posed by the Taliban and calling for urgent measures for the security of the European Union (EU).

Noting that Pakistani militants area a major threat to Europe and the world, it instructed the Commission to “re-evaluate the size and objectives of its financial aid, depending on the sincere efforts of the Pakistani government to eradicate terrorist groups”.

It expressed concern about Taliban sympathizers infiltrating into Pakistani military, intelligence and other security establishments.

Concerns were growing following the murder of Punjab provincial governor Salman Taseer by one of his bodyguards in January this year.

“Taliban militants are continuously attempting to gain control over nuclear warheads, which clearly poses a threat for Europe and the world,” it said Friday.

The parliament sought appointment of senior security experts to undertake a thorough study of the present security situation in the region.

All EU operations and missions in the region must be manned by trained personnel equipped with handling chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear terrorism, it said.

Terrorism and extremism are not just threats to the stability of Pakistan, but also to the rest of the world, it said noting “elements of the Pakistani intelligence and security services are suspected of giving practical and financial support to terrorist groups”.

It called on the Pakistani government to do more to tackle extremism, and the EU member-states to assist in preventing extremist indoctrination, rooting out extremist infiltration of security services and closing the training centres used by groups for terrorist missions abroad.