US Senators accuse Pakistan of 'duplicity' in fighting terrorism

"Do you agree with my position that should not occur until they stop the duplicity that has continued for 14 years while we have been in Afghanistan?" Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Bob Corker asked Secretary of State John Kerry during his testimony before the hearing on State Department's annual budgetary proposals.

"They (Pakistan) have asked to be able to purchase F-16s. I would rather ask them to purchase from a US company than some other company but they also want US taxpayers to subsidise more than half of that purchase over time," Corker said yesterday.

"I just met with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a few weeks ago and we discussed our concerns about the need to rein in particular terrorist groups that are either homegrown in Pakistan or are using Pakistan as a sanctuary. And we have been very, very clear that they have to target all militant groups," Kerry said to a question from Corker.

Corker, who was in Afghanistan a few months ago, said he "witnessed continued duplicity on Pakistan's part, outright blatant duplicity, where they continue to support the Taliban, the Haqqani network, and give safe haven" to al-Qaeda.

Corker alleged that the Pakistan army is not taking actions against terrorists.

Meanwhile, Senator Rand Paul said Pakistan can be described as a "frenemy" - sometimes friends, sometimes enemy.

"I do not think I will convince you but I think the American people are convinced that we do not have the money to be sending all around the world when our infrastructure here is falling down and our country is struggling. We just simply do not have the money and it makes no sense to borrow it," he said.