WASHINGTON – The United States on Friday expressed hoped that Pakistanwould do the right thing and “turn over” the terrorists and honour itscommitment to it, according to a Trump administration official.
“I have a feeling, I am hopeful that Pakistan will do the right thing andturn over the terrorists and honour their commitment,” Steven Goldstein,the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs toldreporters at a news conference here.
Responding to questions, Goldstein said the US has so far not heard fromPakistan on its reported decision to suspend its military and intelligencecooperation with it in retaliation of the Trump administration’s decisionto freeze all its security assistance.
“We would hope that Pakistan would come to the table and that they wouldturn over those terrorists that we have asked be turned over. We’veindicated very clearly that we believe that can happen,” Goldstein said.
The United States, he said, has only suspended the aid but not cancelledit; and the money has not been reallocated.
“So now it is the job of Pakistan to take seriously their commitment to us,and most importantly to the people of Pakistan who would most be hurt bythis, by any terrorist activity, and come forward.So, our position hasn’t changed. They have not yet come forward,” Goldsteinsaid.
At a separate news conference, the Pentagon said that Pakistan has theability to address terrorist threat inside the country.
“We believe that Pakistan has the ability to address this threat,” Pentagonchief spokesperson Dana White told reporters at a news conference.
“This is an opportunity for them to take decisive action, and we lookforward to working with them to encourage them to do so,” White said inresponse to a question on recent development on US-Pak relations front.