Islamabad, Sept 16 : Sharply reacting to US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta''s warning that America is ‘going to do everything it can to defend US forces’ in the wake of this week''s Kabul attack, Pakistan has said that his remarks are not in line with the counter terrorism cooperation between both nations.

"Time and again we''ve urged the Pakistanis to exercise their influence over these kinds of attacks from the Haqqanis, and we have made very little progress in that area," Panetta said. "I''m not going to talk about how we''re going to respond. ... We''re not going to allow these types of attacks to go on," Panetta had told reporters travelling with him to San Francisco for meetings with Australian officials.

“We have seen the remarks attributed to the US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta carried by the media. These remarks are not in line with the cooperation the two countries have in counter terrorism,” Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua said

“Terrorism and militancy are complex issues. These require close cooperation among all concerned. Pakistan and the US have cooperated in countering terrorism. Pakistan’s cooperation is premised on respect for Pakistan’s sovereignty and entails joint actions,” she added.

Janjua said that Pakistan has raised the issue of “safe havens” and “sanctuaries” on the other side of the Af-Pak border from where militants have launched attacks against Pakistani border posts and villages.

“There is need to clearly address the issue in a cooperative mode and work for de-escalation in violence as violence is no solution to any problem. We are prepared to continuing cooperation in countering terrorism,” she added.

When asked why Pakistan does not lodge stronger protest or resort to sanctions against the United States against drone strikes on its soil, Janjua said that Islamabad’s position on drone attacks is guided by the resolution of the Parliament and it has been clearly conveyed to the United States on a number of occasions.

“This is an issue which is a matter of ongoing discussions between the two sides,” she added. (ANI)