ISLAMABAD: The US Chargé D’ Affaires in Islamabad Ambassador Paul Jones was summoned to Foreign Office in Islamabad on Tuesday and a strong protest was lodged with him on the unwarranted and unsubstantiated allegations made against Pakistan by US President Donald Trump.
Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua conveyed the Government’s disappointment on the recent tweets and comments by President Trump and told the US Charge D’ Affaires that such baseless rhetoric about Pakistan is totally unacceptable.
Rejecting the insinuations about Osama bin Laden, the Foreign Secretary reminded the US envoy that it was Pakistan’s intelligence cooperation that provided the initial evidence to trace the whereabouts of Al-Qaeda Chief.
She said scores of top Al-Qaida leaders were killed or captured with active Pakistani cooperation and no other country had paid a heavier price than Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.
Tehmina Janjua said the US leadership had acknowledged on multiple occasions that Pakistan’s cooperation had helped in decimating the core Al-Qaeda leadership and eradicating the threat of terrorism from the region.
She said Pakistan’s continued support to the efforts of international community in Afghanistan through Ground, Air and Sea lines of communication was unquestionably critical to the success of the US-led Mission in Afghanistan.
The Foreign Secretary said in the wake of recent US pronouncements to seek political settlement in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States are working in close coordination with other regional stake holders to end the prolonged conflict.
She said at this critical juncture, baseless allegations about a closed chapter of history could seriously undermine this vital cooperation.
