US Central Command Chief General Joseph Votel has assured Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa that Washington is not contemplating any unilateral action inside Pakistan, said a statement issued from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Friday. General Bajwa received two phone calls from General Votel and one from a US senator over the week to discuss Pak-US security cooperation following President Donald Trump's controversial tweet.
General Votel also conveyed to the CoAS that the US is not contemplating any unilateral action inside Pakistan but instead seeks its cooperation in tackling Afghan nationals who, in America's view, use Pakistan's soil against Afghanistan. That, the US general feels, has been undermining Pakistan's contributions in the war.
According to ISPR, General Votel told the CoAS that the US values Pakistan's role in the war on terror and that the recent turbulence in the two countries' relationship remains "a temporary phase." Moreover, General Votel apprised the Army Chief about the US decision regarding the US security assistance and Coalition Support Fund (CSF).
The Army Chief told the US officials that Pakistan will continue its sincere counterterrorism efforts even without the US financial support in accordance with its own national interest and will remain committed to bringing the effort to its logical conclusion along with other stakeholders. The CoAS told General Votel that the entire Pakistani nation felt betrayed over the US government's recent statements, which ignored decades of cooperation on Pakistan's part. Trump, in a New Year tweet, accused Pakistan of lies and deceit. "They give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" he said on January 1.
The incident led to heightened tensions between Pakistan and the US. Later, on January 5, the US announced that it is suspending the transfer of military equipment and security-related funds to Pakistan. The Army Chief was quoted saying that Pakistan is fully aware of the US concerns on activities of Afghan nationals in Pakistan and "we are already undertaking multiple actions through Operation Raddul Fasaad to deny any residual capacity to terrorists of all hue and color for which return of Afghan refugees is an essential prerequisite".
"Pakistan has suffered hugely due to great power contestation in the region," the Army Chief stated. The US officials were also apprised of Pakistan's moves to strengthen border controls unilaterally "but if Afghanistan genuinely feels affected from Pakistan, bilateral border management must be Kabul's top priority as well".
The CoAS reiterated that Pakistan will not seek resumption of aid but expects honorable recognition of its contributions, sacrifices and unwavering resolve in the fight against terrorism for peace and stability in the region, according to the ISPR. "Pakistan will keep supporting all initiatives for peace in Afghanistan despite the tendency to scapegoat Pakistan, as peace in Afghanistan is the only way to move towards enduring peace and stability in the region," the Army Chief was quoted as saying by ISPR.
General Votel acknowledged the effectiveness of some of the recent actions taken by Pakistan to ensure that Pakistan's hospitality to Afghan refugees is not misused in any way, the ISPR said, adding that the US general agreed that both countries stand to gain from cooperative engagement.
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