Washington: The United States has once again issued a stern warning to Pakistan, saying that it “must do more” against Taliban and other terrorist groups operating from the country. The Trump administration also alerted its long-time ally that Washington is ready to take unilateral measures if Islamabad fails to stop cross-border attacks.
The admonition, at a news briefing on Saturday, came after a meeting between US Vice President Mike Pence and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pakistan newspaper Dawn reported.
Abbasi was in the United States to see his ill sister and later met Pence at his residence.
The White House in a statement about the meeting said, “Vice President Pence reiterated President Trump’s request that the Government of Pakistan must do more to address the continued presence of the Taliban, Haqqani Network, and other terrorist groups operating in their country.”
“The Vice President stated that US efforts to eliminate terrorist groups who threaten US security and the stability of the region will continue and noted that Pakistan could and should work closer with the US,” the White House said.
During the meeting that lasted almost half-an-hour, Pence stressed that Pakistan should stop cross-border attacks.
Pakistan media also reported that Trump administration officials conducted a press briefing for journalists and conveyed their displeasure over Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy.
“Six months after the announcement of the South Asia Policy, Pakistan is yet to take the kind of decisive actions that the US is seeking, one of the officials was quoted as saying by the Dawn.
“We are continuing to look for real actions and not word on the Taliban and the Haqqani sanctuaries, the official added.
In his new South Asia Policy unveiled in August, Trump had called for tougher measure against Pakistan if it did not cooperates the US in its fight against terrorism.
In his first tweet of the new year, Trump had accused Pakistan of basing its relationship with the US on “nothing but lies and deceit”.
Days after his tweet, the US suspended over USD 1.15 billion in security aid and the delivery of military equipment to Pakistan for failing to clamp down on the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network terror groups.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani last month proposed peace talks with the Taliban.
(With inputs from PTI)