US unlikely to revoke suspension of aid to Pak, doesn't see any action against terrorism: Pompeo, Bolton tell Qureshi

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held separate meetings with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security advisor John Bolton, PTI reported.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. AFP Photo

New Delhi: The Trump administration shattered Pakistan’s hopes of getting back the USD 300 million military aid as it told Islamabad that the US is unlikely to revoke the suspension of the aid until it sees a substantial progress against terrorists and their safe haven, media reports said as the top officials of the two countries met. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi who held separate meetings with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security advisor John Bolton, has been told by the top officials that US does not see any solid changes when it comes to taking action against terrorists operating from the Pakistani soil, PTI reported. The top officials of the two countries met in the US to try to reset their strained ties. The meeting between Qureshi and Pompeo is understood to have lasted for 20 minutes at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department. Citing sources, PTI reported that the US is upset at Pakistan because of Qureshi’s exaggeration of a handshake he had with US President Donald Trump during a luncheon in New York, which he described as a meeting. After Qureshi’s meeting with Bolton and Pompeo, the Pakistani Embassy said in a statement that the Foreign Minister had a wide range of discussions with both Pompeo and Bolton on unilateral and regional issues including the country’s strained relations with India. The statement said that Qureshi told Pompeo that regional peace in South Asia would remain elusive until the ‘core dispute’ of Jammu and Kashmir issue is resolved. As per the statement, Qureshi briefed Pompeo about India's aggressive posturing in the region and underscored that on its part, Pakistan remained committed to engaging India in a comprehensive peace dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, the news agency reported. Last month, Trump administration had cancelled a military aid of 300 million US Dollars to Islamabad for not rajking action against the terrorists operating from its soil. Pakistan and US ties had hit the skids after US President Trump lashed out at the country for providing safe havens agents of chaos that kill Americans in Afghanistan. (With inputs from PTI)