ISLAMABAD (SW): The United States has made it clear to Pakistan that dismantling the Haqqani network was crucial for Islamabad’s relations with both Washington and Kabul.
This message was conveyed Susan Rice, the US National Security Adviser during her visit to Islamabad for delivering an invitation to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for a meeting with President Obama at the White House on Oct 22, Dawn news reported.
Susan Rice also met Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs and National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz and Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif. According to the report, Washington’s perception that Pakistan was not adequately targeting the Haqqani network in North Waziristan would dominate the agenda awaiting the prime minister in Washington.
The US has indicated it might not continue paying from the multi-million dollar Coalition Support Fund (CSF) to Pakistan in the future, a move that is likely to irk Islamabad. According to the report, Washington’s discontent towards Pakistan in regard to the cross border terrorism in Afghanistan has amplified following a string of terrorist attacks in the Afghan capital this month.
“Ms Rice noted that Pakistan should continue to work constructively to take advantage of the death of Mullah Omar and the Taliban leadership transition. They discussed ways that Pakistan, in coordination with Kabul, could further support the Afghan-led reconciliation process at this critical juncture,” an official was quoted saying by Dawn.
ENDS
