US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met on Wednesday with the newly elected Pakistan government headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan during a five-hour visit to Islamabad.
The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford accompanied Pompeo, who met with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Bajwa and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director-general Lt General Naveed Mukhtar.
The future of Afghanistan and continuing militancy in Pakistan dominated the talks. Pompeo echoed the Trump regime’s position on Islamabad not doing enough to uproot safe havens of militant groups in the country, sources privy to the meeting told Asia Times.
“Pompeo said that as long as terror groups function along the Afghan-Pak border, the security situation in Afghanistan cannot improve, and said that Pakistan hasn’t done enough to counter these groups,” a senior Pakistan government official told Asia Times.
Action sought against Haqqani network
“The US wants decisive action against the Haqqani network and wants Pakistan to play a constructive part in shaping the future of Afghanistan,” the official added.
However, both agreed that it was time for their countries to “reset” their ties given that there is a new leadership in Islamabad.
The US delegation’s assertions in the meeting followed the cutting off of $300 million worth of aid to Pakistan, over “unsatisfactory progress in combating terrorism”.
“The rationale for [Pakistan] not getting the money is very clear. It’s that we haven’t seen the progress that we need to see from them,” Pompeo told reporters before taking off for his South Asian tour.
There was a moment of angst for the new Pakistan government last week when the US State Department sent the transcript of last month’s phone conversation between Khan and Pompeo after Islamabad had questioned the State Department’s statement on the conversation including discussion on “terrorists operating in Pakistan”.
Senior officials from the Pakistan Foreign Office revealed that neither the call, nor the aid cut, was brought up during the talks with the US Secretary of State. However, the US delegation maintained during the talks that Pakistan could face further cuts if militant groups continued to function in the country.
Military sources reveal that the US believes military ties with Pakistan are crucial to propping up support from Islamabad with regard to Washington’s Afghanistan policy. This was reiterated by Pompeo in a separate meeting with Army Chief General Bajwa.
‘Stick for the govt, carrot for the military’
“Despite keeping a harsher stance with the civilian leadership, [the US delegation] incentivized cooperation for the Army leadership. The stick was reserved for the civilians and the carrot was for the military,” a senior military official told Asia Times.
Analysts say that with Pakistan Army’s hegemony on foreign and security policies, Washington wants the Pakistan military to toe its line and is willing to offer benefits in the shape of military aid and cooperation.
What was also critical in Islamabad’s bid to avoid tension with the US, officials said, was for civil and military leaders to be “on one page” during their meetings with the US delegation. “In the past a clear divide between the civilians and the military has been visible to the US officials, which they’ve regularly expressed frustration about. Hence, it was important to show the Pompeo-led delegation that the new Pakistani government and the Pakistan Army are on one page and will work with Washington as one unit,” the military official added.
While claims of a fresh start echoed from both sides, skepticism still hovers over Pakistan and US ties given the tumultuous history of the relationship. Ties between the two countries would be gauged through the Afghan prism, and the security situation along the Afghan-Pak border.
The Pakistani leadership concedes that the US has been critical of Islamabad’s role in the regional security situation, but says that Washington’s allegations are disproportionate.
“It would be wrong to say that we do not differ on many issues. But as a matter of fact there is a better atmosphere now to move ahead,” said Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. “[However] it would be wrong to say that the entire problem lies on our side of the border.”
Usa foreign policy is now fixated on India.they want india to fight against china.
PAKISTAN IS NOW COOKED FISHED,EATEN AND DISCORD.
THEY USED PAKISTAN TO DESTROY SOVIET UNION.
NOW ALL THEY WANT IS TO GET OUT OF AFGHANISTAN WITH "DIGNITY".
FOR THAT ,THEY NEED PAKISTAN.
AFTER THAT GOODBYE TO STUPID PAKISTANIS.
And of course India will fight China?
In a 2011 lecture I had suggested that In future, Pakistan will emerge as the senior partner with the US. 7 years later I can assert my claim with greater vigour.
Today 2 ideologies compete for the hearts and minds of the worldwide youth – Capitalism and Islam, and the latter being more efficient will win out.
At the formation of Pakistan Jinnah had said that, despite the advancement of the US, it was Pakistan that was going to play the central role. In 1947 Life Magazine interview, Jinnah called Pakistan the "Pivot" of the world. Events have proven his foresight.
Pakistan early recognized Soviet Socialism to be the real single threat to its existence, even greater than India. Finding US to also be obsessed with USSR, Pakistan did a Tom Sawyer on America – made her pay for ridding Soviets from its borders.
After having achieved the demise of Corporate Socialism, the Pak/US paths naturally had to diverge. Islam’s socio-economics opposes both Corporate Socialism and Corporate Capitalism. After the Cold War, while US continues its ways, Pakistan turns its attention to the second evil – Corporate Capitalism, and there it finds China a willing partner.
Mohammed AS believed that peace was primordial for human progress, and trade uncondtionally leads to peace. Corporate Capitalism that US heads was trade monopolist always and becoming more so today. But with BRI and its New Silk Road, in China, Muslims have found a new champion of Mohammedanism.
While Pak alliance with US was tactical and transitory, Pak’s link with China is historic, strategic, and eternal. Even 1,400 years ago the Prophet had lauded China’s knowledge and advised Muslims to attain it.
Poor India that got a big fat Zero, a zilch for its 40 years investment in USSR now beds with America. It wil lose its shirt.
Dimwit Indians – for the last 3500 they have been beaten by one and all. Aryans, Greeks, Arabs, Turks, Afghans, Mongols, and finally English. In future will it be Americans or Chinese? Take your pick.
Once Pak acquired the Nukes, all talk of fixation are history. Paks have bigger fish to fry than India.
LOL. Who used whom?
Who is better off today? Pak with Imran or US with Trump?
China a copy cat country with no inventions or discoveries of its own has become a capitalist economy. It was always an atheist country. The stalwarts of Islam should look somewhere else.
KS Chin , India can only dream, India mainly relies on proxy and propaganda and never, ever would dare to confront China a fast emerging super power. As per it’s tradition it would hatch consipiracies to create some hurdles in the way of China’s progress, but that will prove as a sand wall , given the fact that India enjoys complete opposition from all of it’s neighbours at the moment.
The good news in the article is that Prime Minister Imran Kahn, ISI, and the military is on the same page. RT interviews with General Hamid Gul and former chief of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, the ISI – Lieutenant-General, Asad Durrani, seemed unhappy with the US. Support for the US friendship is in the single digits among Pakistan citizens.
Lending assistance to the US as it sought to influence the internal affairs in Afghanistan both in the 1980s and following 9/11 was a "mistake," Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has said, telling RT that US actions have made the region less secure.
The US is a cry baby and try to blame Pakistan fot the US huge failure in Afghanistan. The allegations Pakistan has not done enough is completely wrong according to Ex-CIA Michael F. Scheuer https://youtu.be/tPMHPPjBw6M
History proves USA has betrayed Pakistan many times, violated Pakistan sovereignty, US drone strike has killed and maimed many Pakistan citizens, damaged Pakistan’s economy, and provided FAKE news about Pakistan. The US generals even alleged Pakistan has stolen a Malaysian airplane. LOL https://youtu.be/NQSuZjO4li8
Oaay Khan Nundcy from pind thalla yaar, 40 years ago, they used to make fun of Japan too, in the same way…….you gotta start somewhere. China is a superpower now!….lottsa anti China propaganda in the US. I suggest you visit China, and go see for yourself what it actually is. Can you afford a return ticket to Shanghai?
Muhammad Fayyaz They did confron China on Doklam. I personally think (I will get lots of hate mail) that China acted with restraint and could have crushed the Indian troops but China was thinking of the consequences of the fight and it would set relations back another 50 years.
Khan Nuncy Sounds like US too in its ear;y days. It stole industrial secrets from UK and copied a lot of technology. Stole jet engine and rocket tech from Germany too.
AS LONG AS PAKISTAN IS TIED TO THE US. THROUGH FINANCIAL AID AND MILITARY AID [[BOTH THE SAME]] PAKISTAN WILL BE A VASSAL TO THE US..AND THAT IS WHAT POMPEO WAS DOING THERE ,TO MAKE SURE KHAN STAYS IN LINE. PAKISTAN BLUSTERS ALOT ABOUT BEING INDEPENDENT BUT SORRY TO SAY JUST ANOTHTER U.S VASSAL STATE.
THAY CAME PAKISTAN TO HELP THEM IN AFGHANISTAN, IMRAN SAY ,IF YOU STOP FIGHTING,AND STRT TOLKING, WE WILL MAY HELP YOU, NO TALK DO MORE, NO TALK HAQQANI NET WORK,PAKISTAN NEWER GOING TO FIGHT FOR ENY ONE,, NOW INDIA TURN TO FIGHT FOR AMERECA.GOOD LUCK TO IN HELL INDIA..YOU FIGHT FOR THEM WITH CHAINA AND IN AFGHANISTAN..THAY ARE GIVING YOU PLENTY LOLI POP, CHEW THEM..PAKISTAN IS OUT NOW, YOU ARE BEST BUDDI OF AMERECA TOHTEE MAN.
Khan Nuncy INDIA IS SON , COW, SNAK, BUNDER, WERSHIPPER.. AMERECAN GOING TO LOVE THEM? CHAINA IS PAKISTAN BEST FRIENDS..AND WE PROUD FOR THAT?
Keep living in 1947
Sam Genokapi
LOL. Look who is talking. Here are some Pak firsts:
1. Free Enterprise – Pakistan 1947, India 2000
2. Free Trade – Pakistan 1947, India 2000
3. Alliance with the West – Pakistan 1950, India 2000
4. Friendship with China – Pakistan 1960, India 202?
5. Distancing from Socialism – Pakistan 1947, India 1990
6. Distancing from dying Corporate Capitalist West – Pakistan 2000, India 2050?
7. "Theocratization": Pakistan 1977 with Zia, India 2014 with Modi.
8. BRI/New Silk Road Pakistan 2013, India never?
Pakistan may want to live in 1947, but India lives in days of Ram, thousands of years ago – still defecates in the open like animals. Enjoy.