ISLAMABAD – Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan has expressed concernover a White House statement saying the U.S. military has been givenauthority to eliminate militant safe havens in both Pakistan andAfghanistan.
In an interview with the Urdu service of Voice of America (VOA), thedefence minister said he takes the statement “very seriously.”
The White House statement was released in an e-mail late Tuesday thatlisted President Donald Trump’s foreign policy accomplishments during hisfirst year in office.
“President Trump’s conditions-based South Asia Strategy provides commanderswith the authority and resources needed to deny terrorists the safe haventhey seek in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” the White House statement read.
Reacting to the statement, Khurram Dastgir Khan told VOA, “We want to makeit clear to the U.S. that Pakistan is a sovereign country and itssovereignty must be respected.” He added.
“Instead of using these words, which can be interpreted in any way,Pakistan should be consulted,” he said. “Statements like this are taking usaway from peace in Afghanistan,” he added.At a Thursday Pentagon press briefing, Joint Staff Director Marine CorpsLt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie said the U.S. military doesn’t “contemplatemilitary operations inside Pakistan.”
“Through a variety of measures, we look to gain Pakistani cooperation andassistance as we pursue operations in Afghanistan, but no, we’re notplanning to conduct military operations inside Pakistan,” McKenzie said.
Pakistan-U.S. relations have deteriorated rapidly. Last month the Trumpadministration cut nearly all security aid to Islamabad until the countrytakes stronger steps to deal with terrorist networks allegedly operating inits territory.
The U.S. has long accused Pakistan of providing safe havens. Pakistandenies the accusation.
According to media reports, U.S. officials are also discussing expandeddrone strikes in Pakistan. Since 2004, the U.S. has carried out hundreds ofsuch drone attacks, mostly along the Afghan border in northwest Pakistan.Those attacks had fallen off in recent years.
In his State of the Union address, Trump did not mention Pakistan directly.But he did say he asked Congress to pass legislation to help ensure thatU.S. assistance dollars “always serve American interests, and only go toAmerica’s friends.