A Pentagon spokesperson on Monday said that the US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who was in Islamabad on a day-long visit, has acknowledged Pakistan's sacrifices in war against terrorism. The spokesperson said that Mattis discussed Pakistan's role in the peace process in Afghanistan and reiterated that Pakistan must redouble its efforts to confront militants and terrorists.
"Both Pakistan and the United States have common stakes in securing peace and security in Afghanistan for the long-term stability of the border region," the spokesman stated. Washington Post in its report said Mattis seemed to tone down the sharp language he has used in congressional hearings and other settings to accuse Pakistan of harbouring Afghan Taliban fighters. Instead, he adopted a milder, more diplomatic approach aimed at finding "common ground."
The US Embassy said he praised Pakistan's "sacrifices in the war against terrorism" while insisting that it "must redouble its efforts to confront" militants within its borders. There was no public mention from either side of the repeated threats by President Trump and other top US officials that Washington will take strong action against Pakistan if it fails to stop sheltering militants.
The punitive measures could include significant cuts in military and economic aid, retracting Pakistan's status as a "major non-Nato ally," and declaring it a state sponsor of terrorism. The newspaper said despite the cordiality of the Monday meetings, the previous threats from the Trump administration were very much on the minds of Pakistani officials and analysts in the capital as Mattis arrived at midday for a brief stop before flying to Kuwait. The US demands that Pakistan "do more" have angered many Pakistanis, who insist that Washington should put pressure on Afghanistan to stop sheltering militants on its side of the 1,700-mile border.
Some commentators suggested that an enormous bomb dropped in August by US warplanes just over the border in eastern Afghanistan, which had no apparent immediate purpose and fell on a deserted former militant hideout in the mountains, was actually intended as a warning to Pakistan.
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