WASHINGTON – US Defence Secretary James Mattis has confirmed Secretary ofState Mike Pompeo and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff CommitteeGeneral Joseph Dunford will visit Pakistan next week to meet Prime MinisterImran Khan.
Speaking at a news briefing at the Pentagon on Wednesday, Mattis saidPompeo and General Dunford will meet with PM Imran and other Pakistanileaders and discuss relations between the two countries.
The two dignitaries are expected in Islamabad for a one-day visit onSeptember 5.
Pompeo will hold discussion with Prime Minister Imran Khan and his team onissues of mutual interests. The US secretary of state will be the firstforeign dignitary to meet the newly elected Prime Minister, who took oathof his office on August 18.
“Secretary Pompeo expressed his willingness to work with the new governmenttowards a productive bilateral relationship,” the US State Department hadsaid in a statement.
He was reported to have “raised the importance of Pakistan taking decisiveaction against all terrorists operating in Pakistan and its vital role inpromoting the Afghan peace process.” While Foreign Office SpokesmanMohammad Faisal denied that the issue of terrorism had been discussed atall.
“Pakistan takes exception to the factually incorrect statement issued by USState Dept on today’s phone call btwn PM Khan & Sec Pompeo,” he said in atweet.
“There was no mention at all in the conversation about terrorists operatingin Pakistan.” But Nauert later stuck by her original statement.
Washington has pressured Pakistan for years to crack down on the branchesof militants allegedly operating in the country, both of which have beendesignated as terror groups by the United States. Pakistan hascategorically denied the accusations.
Ties with the US worsened in January when President Donald Trump accusedPakistan of providing ‘safe havens’ to terrorists, suspending militaryassistance worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Times of India writes that “the Pompeo mission will also helpWashington and New Delhi coordinate their objectives and mission inAfghanistan”.
Back on August 14, on country’s Independence Day, Pompeo, in his message toPakistani nation, had said he hoped to further strengthen ties between thetwo nations.
Pak-US relations have taken a backtrack after the Pakistan Foreign Officerejected a statement by the US State Department regarding the contents of aphone call between Pompeo and PM Imran Khan last week.
“Pakistan takes exception to the factually incorrect statement issued by USState Dept on phone call between PM Khan & Sec Pompeo. There was no mentionat all in the conversation about terrorists operating in Pakistan,” FOspokesperson Dr Faisal tweeted.
He also asked the US to “immediately correct” the statement.
The US State Department, however, indicated there would be no correction inresponse to Pakistan’s complaint.
PM Imran is well known for his criticism of US military policy inAfghanistan, but he said after winning elections that he seeks betterrelations with the United States after a series of aid cuts and thesuspension of US military training.