Trump admin losing patience with Pak
WASHINGTON:IT’S been a week since the United States called for the “immediate re-arrest” of Lashkar-e-taiba chief Hafiz Saeed, threatening Pakistan with “repercussions”, but the terrorist mastermind remains free and has launched an improbable bid to have himself struck off UN list of terrorists.
Gen John Nicholson — the top US general in Afghanistan — on Tuesday noted that more than 100 days have passed since President Donald Trump’s South Asia strategy put Pakistan on notice and demanded it stop sheltering terrorists, but “we haven’t seen those changes yet”.
Frustration with Pakistan has been rising, and the “repercussions” threatened by the White House was the most explicit expression of it yet. Speculation about options for the threatened repercussion, which the White House has not explained, has ranged from stripping Pakistan of its status as a major NON-NATO ally — bestowed in 2004 in exchange for support in Afghanistan — to declaring it a state sponsor of terrorism.
Pakistan’s continued obduracy despite appeals and threats from the US hasn’t gone unnoticed. “There is very little patience in this White House and administration for Pakistan and it must be careful not to waste it,” an official said.
Asked about the timeline given to Pakistan for re-arresting Saeed, a spokesperson for the national security council of the White House told HT: “We will be discussing (this issue) with the Pakistanis in private”.
There is speculation that defence secretary James Mattis might be the one to carry out this “private” discussion when he visits Pakistan, likely to take place next week.
“He might as a former military man and a general have a heart to heart with Pakistani generals and impress upon the need to step up their counter-terrorism measures,” said an Asian diplomat.
Nicholson’s remarks from earlier in the week capture well the latest thinking. Asked if Pakistan’s behaviour has changed since the unveiling of the South Asia strategy, he said: “(The) policy was announced (on) August 21, it’s now a hundred days later... we haven’t seen those changes yet.”