US President Donald Trump has put Pakistan on notice for providing safe haven to Taliban and other militant groups, vice-president Mike Pence has said, warning that the country has much to lose if it does not stop harbouring terrorists on its soil.
Pence’s remarks came during an unannounced trip to Afghanistan to assess ground realities in the war-torn country. During his visit on Wednesday, Pence held meetings with top Afghan leadership to hear from them the progress on the implementation of Trump’s new South Asia Policy. Trump while announcing his South Asia Policy in August had criticised Pakistan for not doing enough to combat terrorism.
“For too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organisations, but those days are over. President Trump has put Pakistan on notice,” Pence told American troops at the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan. “As the President said, so I say now: Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with the US, and it has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists,” the vice-president said, issuing another stern warning. Pakistan reacted on Thursday sharply to Pence’s remarks.
The foreign ministry’s spokesperson said Pen-ce’s statement was at “variance” with the “extensive conversations” Pakistan had with the US administration. “Allies do not put each other on notice. On notice should be those factors responsible for exponential increase in drug production, expa-nsion of ungoverned spaces, industrial scale graft, breakdown of governance, and letting Daesh gain a foothold in Afghanistan, he said. “Also focus should be on creating peace and reconciliation mechanisms. Finally, externalising blame should be put on notice.”
