WASHINGTON – Yet another breakthrough in stalemate between Pakistan andUnited States is expected after the top US General remarks.
Pakistan has to be a part of a solution in Afghanistan, says a Pentagonreport, summarising the US military chief’s recent visits to friendlynations, including Pakistan, Dawn has reported.
The report, released this week, says that the main purpose of Gen JosephDunford’s visit to these nations was to “maintaining and buildingalliances”.
Gen Dunford, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, also reached outto “prospective partners to encourage cooperation and interoperability.”
The report says that the chairman visited Islamabad early this monthbecause “Pakistan is key to the ‘South Asia Strategy’ that President DonaldTrump espoused in August 2017. Pakistan has to be a part of a solution inAfghanistan.”ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER AD
The report notes that Gen Dunford joined US Secretary of State Mike Pompeoto meet Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister ShahMehmood Qureshi and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
The report also includes a quote from Gen Dunford about the US team’smeeting with Gen Bajwa. “When we talked to Gen Bajwa on amilitary-to-military level, we listened to the prime minister verycarefully [and] we listened to the secretary very carefully,” the USgeneral said. “The objectives were very consistent between the secretaryand prime minister. Gen Bajwa and I agreed that we will leverage themilitary-to-military relationship for the secretary and prime minister and,more importantly, for President Trump’s South Asia Strategy.”