*WASHINGTON DC: *US Vice President Mike Pence told Pakistan’s PrimeMinister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi that his country “must do more” against theTaliban and other militants, the White House said on Saturday.
“Vice President Pence reiterated President (Donald) Trump’s request thatthe Government of Pakistan must do more to address the continued presenceof the Taliban, Haqqani Network, and other terrorist groups operating inthe country,” the White House said in a statement on the Friday call.
“Pakistan could and should work closer with the United States,” Pence said.
According to Washington, there is little sign that Islamabad has made adecision to end its support for the Taliban, which the country’s powerfulsecurity services see as allegedly safeguarding its interests and as abulwark against Indian influence in Kabul.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani last month proposed peace talks with theTaliban, which could eventually be recognised as a political party if itobserves a ceasefire and officially recognises the Afghan government andconstitution.
The Taliban has stopped short of rejecting the proposal, but its responsehas been muted.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday met CongressmanTed Yoho.
The prime minister is in the United States on a private visit. In a tweet,the Pakistani embassy in Washington shared that House Foreign AffairsSubcommittee on Asia & Pacific Chairman Yoho and Ranking Member BradSherman had called on Abbasi.
Separately, Sherman also tweeted about having had a “good discussion” withthe prime minister on US-Pakistan relations.
President Mamnoon Hussain had also said on Friday that terrorism hadadversely affected Pakistan and cooperating with the US was imperative tocurb terror. – Agencies