‘ US unlikely to change policy on suspension of aid to Pak’

◗ US is unlikely to revoke the suspension of aid to Pakistan until it sees substantial progress against terrorists and their safe havens

Washington, Oct. 3: The US is unlikely to revoke the suspension of aid to Pakistan until it sees substantial progress against terrorists and their safe havens, the Trump administration has told Islamabad as top officials of the two countries met here to try to reset their strained ties.

Secretary of state Mike Pompeo and national security advisor John Bolton, during their separate meetings with Pakistan’s new foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, are understood to have told him that in its assessment, the US does not see any changes on the ground when it comes to taking action against terrorists operating from the Pakistani soil.

Given Pakistan’s influence over the Taliban, the Trump administration also wants it to bring them to the negotiating table to end the nearly 17year- long strife.

The meeting between Mr Qureshi and Mr Pompeo is understood to have lasted for 20 minutes at the

Foggy Bottom headquarters of the state department.

The White House normally does not issue a readout of the meeting that its national security advisor has with foreign leaders. Qureshi and Pompeo did appear for a hand- shake photo op before the meeting.

According to informed sources familiar with the development, the US side is upset because of Qureshi’s faux pas about a handshake he had with President Donald Trump during a luncheon in New York, which he described to the media as a meeting.