ISLAMABAD: US Department of State Senior Official for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Ambassador Alice Wells Monday called on Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua. US Embassy stated, “She (Wells) discussed the status of the United States’ South Asia strategy and efforts to make progress on regional security and stability.”
Signs of a deteriorating and weakening bilateral ties were evident during the meeting when there was absolutely no comment from the Foreign Office, except for a ten-word Twitter announcement in the morning: “FS receives Amb Wells for a call at MOFA today.”
The tweet included a photograph of the two senior diplomats smiling, once again with the famous oil painting of Jamil Naqsh in the background. Neither the Foreign Office nor the US Embassy commented on her meetings with other officials today.
Wells first visit this year was in January, where after meeting with several officials she stressed that the US South Asia strategy represents an opportunity to work together for the establishment of a stable, peaceful Afghanistan, the defeat of ISIS in South Asia, and the elimination of terrorist groups that threaten both Pakistan and the United States. “Ambassador Wells urged the government of Pakistan to address the continuing presence of the Haqqani network and other terrorist groups within its territory,” the US Embassy had said in the January press statement.
Wells visited Islamabad inMarch, where terrorism, Afghanistan besides bilateral relations which were part of the discussions. During the March meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral relations, regional issues particularly on Afghanistan, with Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, National Security Adviser Lt Gen (R) Nasser Khan Janjua and Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s call to the Afghan Taliban for talks and Pakistan’s efforts for the return of Afghan refugees were also issues on the table at the time. The US demand to eliminate terrorist groups based in Pakistan was also in focus.
On Monday, the US Embassy included a link with its short statement on the remarks by President Trump on the Strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia. This was in reference to its statement while pointing to Monday’s talks which including “regional security and stability”.
Trump had clearly stated that the pillar of the US new strategy was to change the approach and how to deal with Pakistan. “We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists”, he had said.
He pointed out that Pakistan has sheltered the same organisations that try every single day to kill “our people”. “We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting. But that will have to change, and that will change immediately. No partnership can survive a country’s harboring of militants and terrorists who target US service members and officials. It is time for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to civilization, order, and to peace”, he said.
“We appreciate India’s important contributions to stability in Afghanistan, but India makes billions of dollars in trade with the United States, and we want them to help us more with Afghanistan, especially in the area of economic assistance and development”, he had pointed out.
