United States ambassador to Pakistan David Hale today said his country has told Islamabad to take decisive action against terrorists operating from its soil.

He was addressing the fourth round of US-Pakistan Bilateral Dialogue held in Islamabad titled 'Convergence amid Divergence: Identifying Pathways to Cooperation in a Challenging Environment'.

Hale said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had told Pakistani leaders that time had come for action against all terrorists under the new US policy.

"Our South Asia strategy also looks toward Pakistan for a decisive action against all terrorist groups operation from its soil," said Hale.

He said it was time for Pakistan to join US efforts to deny any opportunity to militants to launch cross border attacks in Afghanistan so that they could not see an alternative to a negotiated settlement.

"The secretary conveyed to civilian and military leadership here that American and Pakistani relations are at a critical juncture. If Pakistan's leaders choose not to take advantage of this opportunity for cooperation, we will act accordingly," said the ambassador.

"We ask for equal diligence in decimating all the groups operating in Pakistan which threaten the region's stability, including the Haqqani network," he said.

He asked Pakistan to live up to its commitment that its soil would not be used against its neighbours.

"We seek a sustained and irreversible effort to achieve an aspiration and commitment that was made public by Pakistani officials themselves and end the use of Pakistani soil for attacks on its neighbours," he said.

He said the US is committed to deny the Taliban military success and Pakistan would gain much from a negotiated settlement between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

He said Pakistani leaders have made it clear that they share the US goal for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

"Together we have much to gain through cooperation," he said.

He also said that Tillerson during his visit last month encouraged India to do more economically for Afghanistan.  -- PTI

IMAGE: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, right, with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif at the State Department in Washington last month. Photograph: Yuri Gripas/Reuters