Allies do not put each other on notice: Pakistan reacts to Pence’s statement

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reacted to United States Vice President Mike Pence’s statement against Pakistan at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, saying that allies do not put each other on notice.

Foreign Office spokesperson commented and said that the statement is at variance with the extensive conversations held with the US administration.

“Allies do not put each other on notice. On notice should be those factors responsible for exponential increase in drug production, expansion of ungoverned spaces, industrial scale corruption, breakdown of governance, and letting Daesh gain a foothold in Afghanistan.

“Also focus should be on creating peace and reconciliation mechanisms. Finally, externalizing blame should be put on notice,” the spokesman stated.

READ MORE: Pakistan has much to lose by harbouring ‘terrorists’, says Pence

Pence repeated President Donald Trump’s allegations saying it has much to lose by harbouring “criminals and terrorists.”

Echoing Trump’s accusations when he unveiled the new strategy, Pence had sharp words for Pakistan, which he said had provided safe haven to the Taliban and other groups for too long.

“Those days are over,” Pence said. Pakistan had much to gain from partnering with the United States, and much to lose by harboring “criminals and terrorists,” he said at Bagram.

Pence arrived on a military plane at Bagram Airfield under the cover of darkness on Thursday night. He then flew by helicopter to Kabul, where he met President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah at the presidential palace.

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