Pompeo’s phone call to Imran triggers row
ISLAMABAD: A diplomatic squabble has erupted between Pakistan and the United States after a phone call between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Pakistan’s new premier Imran Khan.
The allies are contradicting each other on whether terrorist activity in Pakistan was discussed during the conversation.
Washington said on Thursday that Pompeo telephoned Khan to congratulate him on becoming prime minister and pushed him for a decisive action against militants, allegedly hiding in Pakistan.
But in its statement on the phone call, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Pompeo made no mention if action against terrorism was part of their discussion.
Then, hours later, a ministry spokesman rejected the statement by the US Department of State, calling it “factually incorrect.”
“Pakistan takes exception to the factually incorrect statement issued by US State Dept on today’s phone call btwn PM Khan & Sec Pompeo,” spokesman Mohamed Faisal tweeted.
“There was no mention at all in the conversation about terrorists operating in Pakistan,” he said
But a spokeswoman for State Department said Washington stood by its original statement.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said on Friday it would seek an explanation from Washington.
The US and Pakistan, allies in the fight against terrorism, have had difficult relations in recent years, as Washington accuses Islamabad of sheltering militants who attack forces in Afghanistan.
Pakistan rejects the allegations and blames the US for dumping its failures in Afghanistan on Islamabad.
Imran has been a staunch critic of Pakistan’s participation in the global campaign against terrorism, saying it’s fighting someone else’s war at the expense of our own country.