WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump is “not satisfied” with the progress made by Pakistan in its fight against terrorism, the White House said on Thursday.
The White House also said that for the first time, the US is holding Pakistan accountable for its actions.
“I know that we have restored some clarity in our relationship with Pakistan. For the first time we’re holding Pakistan accountable for its actions,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah told reporters during a press conference.
“We’ve seen modest progress in terms of Pakistan’s actual acknowledgement of these concerns, but the President is not satisfied with progress when it comes to Pakistan,” Shah said.
He was responding to a question on the progress made in President Trump’s South Asia policy which was announced in August last year.
“The US is working closely with our partners in Afghanistan. We’ve made significant progress against ISIS, reducing their presence and eliminating hundreds of fighters. We’ve eliminated their top leaders, and we’re working relentlessly to target their leadership and bases wherever they emerge,” Shah said.
In another news conference, the Pentagon said that the South Asia policy offers an opportunity to Pakistan.
“The (defence) secretary believes that Pakistan has an opportunity to do more with respect to regional security and that it’s in its interests to do more with respect to regional security. It’s an opportunity, and we would welcome Pakistan’s involvement,” Pentagon Chief Press Spokesperson Dana White said.