WASHINGTON – United States (US) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesdayrenewed calls on Pakistan to curb extremists fighting in Afghanistan,saying Washington was holding its uneasy war partner accountable.
Pompeo made the comment as he welcomed long-delayed legislative electionsin Afghanistan, saying the US was “encouraged” by voter turnout, despitereports of widespread problems including poll centres that failed to openor lacked voter rolls.
“Our expectation is that Pakistan will not provide safe harbour toterrorists on their western border,” Pompeo told reporters when asked aboutIslamabad’s role.
“We couldn’t have made that message any more clear,” he said, adding:“Pakistan will be held to account if they don’t achieve that, if they’renot sincere in that effort.”
“Everyone wants a reconciliation in Afghanistan and to achieve that, youcan’t have a safe harbour for Taliban, for Haqqani and for others inside ofPakistan,” he said, listing extremist movements fighting in Afghanistan.
President Donald Trump’s administration last month cut $300 millionsecurity aid to Pakistan after years of US complaints that Islamabad haskept nurturing ties with militants that target both Afghanistan and rivalIndia.
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Pakistan has countered that it has paid a heavy price internally forfighting militants and that it can help bring the Taliban to the table.
A Taliban delegation earlier this month met in Qatar with a US envoy.
Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Imran Khan is a longstanding supporter ofnegotiations to end the war in Afghanistan, where the US has been deployedsince 2001. – APP/AFP
