Pak rejects BRICS claims on militants

Pakistan yesterday rejected a statement by the five emerging-market BRICS powers that militant groups in Pakistan pose a regional security concern, with its defence minister saying no such group operates freely inside Pakistan.

The minister's response follows a statement on Monday by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa that also called for patrons of the Pakistan-based militant groups to be held to account.

"These organizations, they have some of their remnants in Pakistan, which we're cleaning," Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan told the Geo TV channel, without specifying which groups he was referring to.

"But Pakistan, we reject this thing categorically, no terrorist organization has any complete safe havens."