US maintains it told Pak to act against terror
WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government has had its first diplomatic spat with the US within a week of assuming office on the issue of terrorism, which has bedevilled relations for the past few years.
The US has said it stands by its readout on secretary of state Mike Pompeo’s phone conversation with Khan on Thursday, in which the American official stressed the importance of Pakistan taking “decisive action against all terrorists” operating on its soil and promoting the peace process in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s foreign office disputed the readout hours later, with its spokesman tweeting the statement was “factually incorrect” as there was “no mention” about terrorists operating in Pakistan in the conversation.
Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told a news conference on Friday that the US reference to terrorists operating in Pakistan was “contrary to the facts”.
“Secretary of state Mike Pompeo…said he wanted a constructive and productive relationship. I am looking forward to his visit and engaging with him for peace and stability and to look for areas where both countries stand to gain,” he added. Asked for a response to Pakistan’s stance, state department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters: “We stand by our readout.”
But in a version of the conversation she went on to deliver, she didn’t mention terrorism. “They had a good call…pakistan is an important partner to the US. We hope to forge a good, productive working relationship with the new civilian government.”
When it was pointed out she hadn’t used the word terrorism in the new version, Nauert said, “I’m saying we stand by our readout.” Qureshi announced that Pompeo will travel to Islamabad on September 5 and said realignments had occurred in Pakistan’s relations with other countries. “Pakistan is no longer the darling of the West that it used to be,” he said.
“We don’t share the same cordial relations with the US as we had in the past. The US authorities have to understand Pakistan’s view…i believe the meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and (Pompeo) will be very important.”
Pakistan’s ties with the US, he said, have had their ups and downs but this is an important relationship. “In order to bring relations with the US to the past level, there is a need to understand the situation and needs in Afghanistan,” he added.