Pompeo calls on PM Imran to act against ‘terrorists’ in Pakistan

[INDIAPOSITIVE]

• Mike Pompeo also talked about Pakistan's vital role in promoting the peace process in war-torn Afghanistan, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD – United States’ Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has pressed Prime Minister Imran Khan in a phone call to take “decisive action” against “terrorists” operating in Pakistan, the State Department said Thursday.

Pompeo wished Khan success in the wake of his being sworn in as prime minister in Islamabad Saturday after a victory in national elections on July 25, said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert.

“Secretary Pompeo expressed his willingness to work with the new government towards a productive bilateral relationship,” Nauert said in a statement.

He also “raised the importance of Pakistan taking decisive action against all terrorists operating in Pakistan and its vital role in promoting the Afghan peace process.”

Washington has pressured Pakistan for years to crack down on the branches of the Taliban and the notorious Haqqani network operating the country, both of which have been designated as terror groups by the United States.

The relations between Pakistan and the US nose-dived after President Donald Trump in new year tweet accused Islamabad of giving nothing to Washington but “lies and deceit” and providing “safe haven” to terrorists.

The US Congress also passed a bill to slash Pakistan’s defence aid to USD 150 million, significantly below the historic level of more than USD one billion per year.

In his victory speech last month after winning the July 25 polls, the prime minister said he wants a balanced relation between Pakistan and America which should be mutually beneficial, not one sided.

Before the election he repeatedly blamed Pakistan’s participation in the US-led anti-terror campaign for the surge in terrorism on home soil over the last decade.

Imran Khan, 65, was sworn in as Pakistan’s 22nd prime minister at a simple ceremony in Islamabad on Saturday. The US welcomed the new prime minster and said that it was looking forward to work with new civilian government to promote peace and prosperity in the country and in the region.

“For over 70 years, the relationship between the United States and Pakistan has been a vital one,” the statement added.

Reports say Pompeo is likely to visit Pakistan in September and hold talks with the newly elected prime minister.

Pompeo, who is expected in Islamabad on September 5, would be the first foreign dignitary to meet Imran Khan.



https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/hea...n-khan-to-act-against-terrorists-in-pakistan/



US Secretary of State may not be coming to Pakistan: State Department

WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo may not be coming to Pakistan during his trip to India. No travel has been announced for the secretary beyond what's already been issued in media notes," an official told reporters here.

READ MORE:COAS General Bajwa holds important meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman
It is pertinent to mention that the secretary of state, along with the secretary of defence, is scheduled to reach New Delhi on September 6 to hold strategic dialogues with their Indian counterparts.

Earlier, in some media sections, it was reported that Pompeo will have an Islamabad layover to meet with leaders of the new government.

READ MORE:PM Imran Khan's message to the Nation and World on eve of interntional day for victims of terrorism
On Tuesday, another official maintained that the State Department "does not have any travel plan to announce at this time."



https://timesofislamabad.com/22-Aug...ay-not-be-coming-to-pakistan-state-department

 

[INDIAPOSITIVE]

Top US Commander in Afghanistan levels serious allegations against Pakistan

KABUL - US Commander in Afghanistan Gen. Nicholson has expressed concern over the cross border movement of terrorists and the treatment of their injured in the hospitals of Pakistan and said the Pentagon and US foreign affairs ministry could engage with Islamabad on the matter.

READ MORE:COAS General Bajwa holds important meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman
“After one year of the US strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia the Taliban could still move freely to Pakistan and treated their injured friends in the hospitals of neighbouring country,” Nicholson told reporter in Washington from Kabul through a video conference.

He said the US defence and foreign officials could discuss the matter with Pakistani officials in Islamabad.

READ MORE:PM Imran Khan's message to the Nation and World on eve of interntional day for victims of terrorism
Referring to the interection between President Ashraf Ghani and new Pakistan’s prime minister, the US general said Pakistan and Afghanistan improved their relation in some area and there was progress on military side as well.

Talking about the success of US South Asia strategy, Nicholson said as a result of the new strategy chances for peace talks still available.

READ MORE:COAS General Bajwa's message to the Nation and World on occasion of international day for victims of terrorism
“The strategy was announced one year back and during the first six months we heard two offers from the Taliban for peace one the Taliban open letter to the US and President Ghani peace offer later the announcement of ceasefire while the most important thing the launch of political settlement which came from talks.



https://timesofislamabad.com/23-Aug...n-levels-serious-allegations-against-pakistan

Expected US special envoy to Afghanistan tough on Pakistan

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to tap Zalmay Khalilzad as his special envoy on Afghanistan, two US officials said, the latest signal to the Taliban that the United States is serious about talks to end its longest war.

Khalilzad is an Afghan-born former US ambassador to Kabul and Iraq.The decision to tap a Republican foreign policy veteran, comes as US military commanders acknowledge a stalemate in the fighting and follows a meeting last month between a US diplomat and Taliban officials to explore possible negotiations.

The administration has not officially confirmed those talks. The two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were unsure when the announcement would be made. The White House and the State Department declined to comment, and Khalilzad did not return messages left with his office.

Halting of peace talks causes uncertainties

The outgoing U.S. commander of U.S. and international troops insisted on Wednesday that despite a recent wave of violence, Trump’s strategy of an open-ended deployment of U.S. military advisers, trainers and special operations forces and increased air support for Afghan forces is succeeding.

“I believe the strategy is working. … The reconciliation progress is significant and ultimately wars end with a political ettlement,” said U.S. Army General John Nicholson, commander of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission. Trump, however, has expressed frustration at the lack of progress toward a U.S. withdrawal after 17 years of conflict.

In a policy shift during a June ceasefire, Washington said it would “support, facilitate and participate” in any Kabul government-led peace talks with the Taliban. The surge in Taliban attacks, including an assault last week on the provincial capital of Ghazni that took U.S.-backed Afghan forces four days to put down, has raised questions about their interest in negotiations.

Afghanistan and the New World Order

Nicholson acknowledged the Afghan government had not significantly increased its control over territory. While he said the Taliban have not responded to an offer this week of a ceasefire from President Ashraf Ghani, two insurgent commanders told Reuters that the insurgents rejected the call.
LONG GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Khalilzad, 67, is well suited to the difficult task of persuading the insurgents to talk, according to a former senior U.S. official, who asked not to be further identified. In addition to his experience advising or working for four U.S. administrations and his knowledge of Afghanistan’s main languages, culture and politics, he is from the ethnic Pashtun majority and is close to Ghani, the former official said. Pompeo’s decision to tap Khalilzad shows the administration is “serious about getting a peace process going,” said the former official.

One possible drawback for Khalilzad, the former official said, is that he has been publicly critical of neighboring Pakistan, which Washington accuses of providing sanctuary and support to the Taliban but whose cooperation is crucial to any peace effort. Pakistan denies supporting the Taliban.

Taliban to take part in Moscow talks on Afghanistan on Sept 4

In a possible wrinkle, the Taliban said on Wednesday it would send senior members to Russia for peace talks on Afghanistan, hours after the Afghan government declined the offer to attend. Washington has also said it would not go.

Khalilzad was born in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif and served in a variety of U.S. government posts. As an aide to President George W. Bush, he helped plan the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks by al Qaeda, which had been based in that country. That invasion also ousted the Taliban, whose Islamist government ruled the country beginning in 1996.

Khalilzad served as U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan from 2003 to 2005, and he helped draft the country’s constitution. He went on to be ambassador to Iraq and then U.S. envoy to the United Nations. Nicholson, who after more than two years has become the longest-serving U.S. commander of international forces, is going to be replaced by Army Lieutenant General Scott Miller next month.

The Pentagon also nominated Marine Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie, director of the Joint Staff, to be the next commander of U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in much of the Middle East and South Asia, including Afghanistan.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1786480/3-expected-us-special-envoy-afghanistan-tough-pakistan/

 

[T-Rex]

I would like to know what IK said to the YPG godfather.

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

With the impeachment of President Trump around the corner, does anything matter now?????

 

[T-Rex]

With the impeachment of President Trump around the corner, does anything matter now?????

Republicans are too partisan and they control both Congress and the Senate. So I don't see any possibility of impeachment.

 

[Path-Finder]

hmmn,

https://twitter.com/x/status/1032675972221480961

 

[litman]

With the impeachment of President Trump around the corner, does anything matter now?????

trump is acting like nawaz sharif now. he is threatening that if he goes US economy will collapse. nawaz also threatened that there may be 71 like situation in pak. this is time for formation of a block of russia, pak, iran, china and turkey.

 

[Path-Finder]

I forgot the day he was "supposedly" coming is the day Pakistan is attending a summit in Russia regarding afghanistan.

 

[Azadkashmir]

Well if pak really does a great job then there be no more usa military bases world wide.
since terror only exists wherever usa goes. funding/training/dropping off in helicopters/ is usa special privilege while Saudis oil fund usa war machine and provide brainwashed ideological idiots.

 

[django]

Republicans are too partisan and they control both Congress and the Senate. So I don't see any possibility of impeachment.

If they get bad numbers in Nov elections then they just may because make no mistake about it, the traditional Republican party has no love for a clown like Trump.

 

[Path-Finder]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1032675972221480961

 

[Menace2Society]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1032675972221480961

Already off to a bad start. IK should not be meeting any low level US official.

 

[Path-Finder]

Already off to a bad start. IK should not be meeting any low level US official.

I agree.

 

[Imran Khan]

there is option of middle-finger on telephone ?

 

[BHarwana]

@MOD please give Secretary Pompeo warning for posting fake news.