The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday warned against a
"malicious campaign" being used to trivialise Pakistan's achievements in
the war against terrorism, days after United States (US) President
Donald Trump announced a new National Security Strategy (NSS) which is tough on Pakistan.
FO
Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal during a weekly briefing rejected the
"unfounded accusations" levelled against Islamabad by Trump in his
announcement.
The US president had reminded Pakistan
that it is obliged to help America because it receives "massive
payments" from Washington every year.
"We have made clear
to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see
decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory.
And we make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help,"
said the US president.
The 56-page NSS document says
that "the United States continues to face threats from transnational
terrorists and militants operating from within Pakistan".
"We
will press Pakistan to intensify its counterterrorism efforts, since no
partnership can survive a country’s support for militants and
terrorists who target a partner’s own service members and officials,"
the document reads, adding: "We seek a Pakistan that is not engaged in
destabilising behaviour."
Dr Faisal asserted that the
accusations in the US NSS "belie facts on ground and trivialise
Pakistan's efforts for fighting terrorism and our unmatched sacrifices
to promote peace and stability in the region".
"It is
because of Pakistan's cooperation with the international community,
acknowledged and appreciated by the US leadership, that the Al Qaeda
core was decimated from the region," the FO spokesperson said.
Despite
its best efforts, the FO said that the country continues to suffer due
to "state-sponsored terrorism funded and abetted by our neighbours
through proxies" that are working against Pakistan.
"These
proxies, consisting of individuals, organisations and intelligence
agencies, are working against Pakistan at the behest of regional
adversaries. The self-proclaimed guarantors of peace and phoney regional
powers are pursuing this nefarious game of expansionism to the
detriment of regional and global peace. Destabilising policies and
actions by some countries to maintain their hegemony in pursuit of
absolute power are responsible for instability in several parts of the
world, including ours," the FO statement said.
Dr Faisal
insisted that the Afghan soil is "constantly being used by elements
hostile to Pakistan's stability", and urged Afghanistan to counter the
growing threat posed to the region by the militant Islamic State (IS)
group by destroying the outfit's "increasing safe havens" in the
neighbouring country.
"Pakistan's efforts and sincere
proposals for effective border management to prevent cross-border
movement of militants and return of Afghan refugees are yet to make any
headway," he added.
Dr Faisal also emphasised Pakistan's
efforts towards reconstruction in Afghanistan, claiming that the
Pakistani government had established three tertiary care hospitals in
Jalalabad, Kabul and Nangarhar. In addition, he said, Pakistan had
trained 69 Afghan health professionals, including doctors, nurses and
paramedic staff in the past year. At least 59 health professionals have
already completed their training and left for Afghanistan, he said.
Jadhav's family to visit soon
Referring to Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, the FO said that
if the Indian Ministry of External Affairs agrees, Pakistan is willing
to allow Jadhav's wife and mother to address the media upon their
arrival in Pakistan.
The FO spokesperson said that
Jadhav's mother and wife, who have been issued Pakistani visas, will
arrive in Islamabad and meet the spy at the office of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Their itinerary was not disclosed.
'Political solution for Yemen-Saudi conflict'
Dr Faisal reiterated Pakistan's support for Saudi Arabia and
condemned a recent missile attack on Riyadh, carried out by Yemen's
Houthi rebels targeting the official residence of Saudi King Salman.
The
missile was intercepted by the Saudi-led coalition before any damage
could be done. It is the second missile fired by the Houthis — who
seized the Yemeni capital in 2014 — at Riyadh in the past two months.
However,
as the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen poses a danger to the
security of the entire region, the FO spokesperson insisted on a
political resolution to the standoff.