WASHINGTON: Praising the ‘great progress’ Pakistan has achieved in its recent anti-militant operations, the Pentagon on Wednesday acknowledged Pakistan military’s ability to sustain pressure against extremist groups along the Afghan border over several months.

‘We have seen great progress by the Pakistani military over the past several months — you know, nearly a year now, probably. And we are pleased with that progress,’ Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said at a briefing.

‘The issue had always been the willingness, the ability of the Pakistani military to sustain their operations, to sustain the pressure they need to put on the terrorist and extremist groups in their midst.

‘And I think they have shown over the past several months the ability, the — to sustain pressure on those groups. And that’s key to our success in Afghanistan,’ he stated, responding a question that suggested that Pakistan was perhaps not doing enough.

The spokesman’s comments came in the backdrop of unprecedented consensus that Pakistani political forces, civil society forged in backing a military offensive against Taliban militants in Swat and other northwestern valleys of Malakand region. The Pakistani military has cleared the area of militants after months of sustained and effective actions.

At the briefing, Morrell also touched on the problem of cross-border movement by militants in the historical context and said the US and its allies need Pakistan’s pressure against militants on its side of the porous Afghan border.

‘So we need the pressure from the Pakistani side of the border, for us ultimately to be successful in Afghanistan, just as the Pakistanis need us and the Afghan military — the Afghan military to maintain pressure on the Afghan side of the border, so that the militants don’t become even stronger in Pakistan than they have been.

So this is very much a cooperative endeavor to achieve a mutual goal of defeating the terrorists, who pose a real threat to the people in the region and US and its allies around the world,’ he added.

Speaking in the regional perspective in answer to another question, the Press Secretary said all regional countries need to play a cooperative role in turning around the sitaution in Afghanistan.

‘So I think all the regional players are needed, to play a cooperative role in turning around the situation in Afghanistan.

‘It is a desperately poor country with a — you know, with a real, destabilizing influence in its midst, in the form of these militants.

‘So we need help from India. We need help from Pakistan. We need a much more positive role being played by Iran. We need help from all the regional players, so anyway,’ he said. — APP