Pakistan seeks US help to end cross border attacks

Dar holds meeting with McMaster, others

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has sought the United States’ help in curbing cross-border attacks from Afghanistan while assuring that its territory would not be used to destabilise any neighboring country.

The issue came under discussion during the meeting of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who was acting as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s special envoy, with the US National Security Adviser Lt Gen McMaster at the White House on Tuesday.

The US role in resolving Kashmir issue, defence ties between the two countries and release of CIA spy Shakeel Afridi were among the issues discussed during the meeting.

“We assured the United States that our territory will not be used against any country. We also make it clear that we expect no other country would be allowed to support terrorism inside Pakistan,” Dar told journalists at Pakistan Embassy after his meeting with Gen McMaster.

He referred to recent attacks inside Pakistan. “We have intelligence report that these attacks were planned across the boarder,” he said. The minister said that Pakistan wanted end to Afghan conflict through a political process led by Afghanistan.

He said Pakistan wanted to end stalemate in its ties with the United States and hoped that new Trump administration will further strengthen bilateral relations based on mutual respect. He said the issue of Shakeel Afridi, an alleged CIA spy detained in Pakistan over charges of treason, came under discussion during his meeting with the top US official. The minister said government would not compromise on national interest.

The minister hoped that the ties between the two countries would now improve and Pakistan’s concerns would be accommodated in Trump administration’s review of South Asia policy.

During the meeting, the minister also highlighted Pakistan’s success on economic and security fronts and called for enhanced economic cooperation between the two countries. “The meeting ended at a very positive note,” he said. To a question about Panama probe, he said the ministry had nothing to do with nomination of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) members.

He said the government would fully cooperate with JIT team and implement the decision of the Supreme Court. He said appointment of General (R) Raheel Sharif as head of 34-member coalition force was an honour for Pakistan. He said the matter was no more controversial as Raheel Sharif was no more heading Pakistan Army.

“It was controversial when he was chief of Pakistan Army to appoint him head of coalition force. The prime minister did not accept the request at that time. But now General (R) Raheel was fully independent,” he said.

To another question, he said that the government was considering replacing Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi instead of sacking him from the post in DawnLeaks case.

“Change of portfolio is no big deal as it is an administrative decision,” he said. Talking about PanamaLeaks case, Dar said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s name was not in the list and that the JIT would be constituted according to the law.

Dar termed his meetings with IMF, World Bank officials and finance ministers of other countries productive. He said the GDP growth over five percent would be achieved during the current fiscal year.

The minister informed that Pakistan Infrastructure Bank will be established with the help of International Monetary Fund (IMF) to provide loan for development projects to private companies. The paid-up capital for the bank would be $1 billion.

He invited overseas Pakistanis to invest in Pakistan Development Fund which would offer shares worth $1 billion to them. He said Pakistan would be able to get cheapest solar power with the help of international institution in near future.