US will try to work with Pakistan on terrorism one more time: Mattis

WASHINGTON: Defense Secretary James Mattis Tuesday said that The United States will make another attempt to work with Pakistan  on terrorism.

According to details, The United States will try to work with Pakistan on terrorism “one more time”, Defense Secretary James Mattis said.

“We need to try one more time to make this strategy work with Pakistan, by, with and through the Pakistanis, and if our best efforts fail, President Trump is prepared to take whatever steps are necessary," Mattis said at a House Armed Services Committee hearing.

The US relationship with Pakistan has ebbed and flowed over the course of the 16-year war in Afghanistan, getting most tense after Trump's August speech outlining his new strategy for Afghanistan, President Trump said the United States would do more to pressure Pakistan to combat 'terrorist safe havens' in its borders.

Pakistan denies that it provides safe haven to terrorists, said it has launched operations to clear militant groups from the Waziristan border region with Afghanistan.

Mattis said assistant secretaries and national security staff will visit Pakistan to discuss the issue, followed by himself and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has arrived in the United States of America on a three-day important visit, where he will hold meetings with his US counterpart Rex Tillerson and National Security Adviser Lieutenant General H.R.McMaste and discuss bilateral relations and situation in Afghanistan and Kashmir. The US’s new policy on South Asia will also be discussed.

During his meeting with US counterpart Rex Tillerson and National Security Adviser Lieutenant General H.R.McMaste, the minister will focus on resumption of bilateral relations and work out ways to dispel tensions that worsened after US President Donald Trump’s August 21 speech.