After Pakistan pledged to help with terrorism, Donald Trump took the stage and in his Foreign Policy speech accused Pakistan for nurturing terrorism; a miffed Pakistan on Tuesday suspended bilateral talks and visits with the United States.
Pakistani foreign minister Khawaja Asif informed a Senate committee that the government had to take such a decision as a protest against Donald Trump’s comments against Pakistan, during his speech on US’ Afghanistan-Pakistan policy. Reacting to Trump’s criticism, Khawaja said that Afghan Taliban is a problem of Afghanistan and the US, and not Pakistan’s.
The harsh decision to suspend bilateral talks with the U.S came after President Donald Trump hit out at Pakistan for providing safe havens to “agents of chaos” that kill Americans in Afghanistan and warned Islamabad that it has “much to lose” by harboring terrorists. “We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond,” Trump said.
He said after a “comprehensive review”, it was decided that the American strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia will change dramatically.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military brushed off speculation on Monday that a new US strategy for neighboring Afghanistan could include taking a stronger line against Islamabad, insisting the country has done all it can to tackle militancy.
A Pakistani military spokesman said no group had been spared in ongoing offensives against militants, telling a press conference in the garrison city of Rawalpindi “there is no organized infrastructure of any terrorist organization in Pakistan”.
“Let it come,” army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told reporters, referring to Trump’s decision. “Even if it comes… Pakistan shall do whatever is best in the national interest.”
Reacting to Trump’s criticism, Khawaja said that Afghan Taliban is a problem of Afghanistan and the US, and not Pakistan’s.
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