US envoy reminds Pakistan of pledge in anti-terror fight

Published May 23, 2017
RAWALPINDI: US Ambassador David Hale calls on Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa at the GHQ on Monday.—PPI
RAWALPINDI: US Ambassador David Hale calls on Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa at the GHQ on Monday.—PPI

ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador David Hale on Monday hoped Pakistan would live up to its pledge of not allowing terrorists to use its soil against any other country as he called for greater Pak-US cooperation for peace and stability in the region.

Ambassador Hale made this observation during a meeting with Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa at the General Headquarters, which looked like a close follow-up to US President Donald Trump’s speech at the Arab-Islamic-American Summit in Riyadh in which he had called on Muslim countries to ensure that “terrorists find no sanctuary on their soil”. The US president had called it as the first needed step in the combined effort to defeat terrorism.

The Inter-Services Public Relations, meanwhile, in its statement said: “COAS (Gen Bajwa) reiterated Pakistan’s stance that its soil is not being used for terrorist activities against any other country nor shall we tolerate any such action against Pakistan.”

The US ambassador while meeting the army chief recalled that President Trump had in his Riyadh speech talked “for a vision of peace, security, and prosperity, and unity in conquering extremism and terrorism”.

Mr Hale’s meeting with Gen Bajwa also comes ahead of the Nato Summit in Brussels on Thursday. President Trump is expected to unveil his administration’s policy on Afghanistan at the summit, which could include an increase in the numbers of US troops deployed in that country.

Afghanistan currently has 8,400 US troops. It is widely speculated that President Trump could add another 3,000 – 5,000 in a bid to break the stalemate in the war in Afghanistan. The announcement could also see a change in the role of the troops deployed in the war-torn country. US and Nato troops are currently on a non-combat mission for advising and training the Afghan army, but they could get a combat role under the new policy.

Mr Trump had a brief meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of Riyadh Summit.

The two statements on the GHQ meeting issued by the US embassy and ISPR pointed to the American ambassador taking up the issue of alleged Taliban sanctuaries on Pakistani soil. Furthermore, it was unusual for the US embassy to issue a statement on the ambassador’s meeting with the army chief. Such press announcements are usually made by the ISPR only.

The US embassy said: “Ambassador Hale thanked General Bajwa for his public commitment on May 18 that Pakistan is taking measures to ensure that militants do not use Pakistan’s soil to conduct attacks against any country. In this vein, during their meeting General Bajwa offered renewed assurances that Pakistan would not permit its territory to be used to plan or conduct attacks against Afghanistan.” The US embassy noted that both Ambassador Hale and Gen Bajwa “reiterated their nations’ commitment to a secure, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan”.

The ISPR quoted Ambassador Hale as telling the army chief that the US and Pakistan could work for peace and stability in the region through enhanced coordination and cooperation.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2017

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...