Asif says US targeting Pakistan by using excuse of Haqqani network

ISLAMABAD: The US had been targeting Pakistan by using an excuse of the presence of Haqqani network in the country, Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said, adding: “we will not take any dictation that harms our national interest.”

In an interview with a local private television on Monday night, the foreign minister claimed that our forces had achieved big success in the war on terror while US had failed in Afghanistan.

We have offered the US time and again to provide us evidence against the Haqqani network and initiate a joint operation againt the group. The same offer had also been made to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in a recent visit to Kabul, the foreign minister said.

He also asked the US to tell how Daesh had managed to gain foothold in Afghanistan despite the fact that its troops are equipped with latest equipment.

We want a relationship based on equality with the US, says Asif, who had recently toured Washington and met top Trump administration officials.

To a question about the National Action Plan, he said it is designed to clean our house.