Relations between Pakistan and the US are based on trust and do not have a two-faced policy, said Imran Khan on Thursday while addressing the National Assembly in Islamabad. The prime minister, however, noted that Pakistan will only participate in American peace efforts.
“We told them we will not fight their war,” said Khan.
He added that Trump is now showing respect towards Pakistan, asking for help in reconciliation with Afghanistan. Khan maintained that peace in Afghanistan is in the best interest of the region.
Last September, Khan had said that Pakistan committed its biggest blunder when it joined America’s War on Terror strategy in Afghanistan.
"We lost 70,000 people. We lost over a hundred billion dollars to the economy. And in the end, we were blamed for the Americans not succeeding in Afganistan," Khan had said at a press conference.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Pakistan expressed disappointment over the US’s 2019 Report on Terrorism, describing it as self-contradictory and selective.
“We are disappointed with the U.S. State Department’s Annual Country Report on Terrorism for 2019, which is self-contradictory and selective in its characterization of Pakistan’s efforts for countering terrorism and terrorist financing,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad stated on Thursday.
The US State Department stated in its report on Wednesday that Pakistan continues to be a “safe haven” for regionally focused terrorist groups and allows outfits including the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed to operate from its territory.
“We reject any insinuation about any safe haven. Pakistan will not allow any group or entity to use its territory against any country,” the ministry added.
In recent months, Pakistan has prosecuted and convicted the leadership of several proscribed groups, which has been acknowledged by the United States as well. The American report noted the sharp decrease in the incidence of terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
Earlier this February, US President Donald Trump said that the relationship with Islamabad is a “very good one and thanks to these (operation against terrorists) efforts, we are beginning to see signs of big progress with Pakistan”.
