Washington: US National Security Advisor General H.R McMaster said that the Trump administration is working on a policy which would cover both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
This is the first time that a senior US official has said that the policy would cover Pakistan. Previously the statement defined it only as an Afghan Policy. “And so what we’ll have at the end of the next few weeks here is an opportunity for a much more effective strategy for the problem set in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the region broadly,” said Gen McMaster.
The policy seeks to send additional troops to Afghanistan. President Donald Trump would decide the implementation when he returns from his foregin trips.
Currently, there are about 8,400 US troops in Afghanistan, alongside 4,500 troops from Nato and other allied nations. Gen McMaster chairs the team of senior security advisers who are devising a policy for Pak-Afghan region.
Gen McMaster proposed the policy including sending 5,000 additional US troops to Afghanistan and requesting more troops from NATO and allied states.
The US needs more time to “figure out with our allies options we can bring to the table” in Afghanistan, and “what more can we ask our allies to do,” said Gen McMaster.
President Trump is expected to discuss anti-terrorism policies with the Arab and Muslim leaders in the upcoming conference in Saudi Arabia. Mr Trump will also be finalising a $100 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia.
PM Nawaz who is also invited to Saudi Arabia to attend the conference will be meeting with the US President for the first time.
