Huge trust deficit between Pakistan and US, says Asif

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has said that there was a huge trust deficit between Pakistan and the US, souring bilateral ties.

In an interview to British news channel, he said, “One key factor is missing in our relationship and that is trust. We have a huge trust deficit.”

His interview came hours after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held delegation level talks with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at the PM House here on Tuesday. The Foreign Minister, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan, and Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa were among the Pakistani delegation.

Asif further said both the countries were desperately trying to bridge this trust deficit. There were no safe havens of terrorists in Pakistan, he insisted.

He stressed that Washington must do self accountability as to why they had lost almost 40 percent of Afghan territory, now under the direct control of the Taliban.

Asif dismissed the possibility of economic sanctions which the Trump administration had been threatening to impose if Pakistan was not deemed to be doing enough to tackle the Taliban.

Pakistan only received a trickle of economic assistance from the US, he further said.

The Minister said the two countries have agreed to enhance confidence so that matters between them could be addressed in a befitting manner.

He said Pakistan’s civil and military institutions are on the same page, which has given a positive message to the US.

The Foreign Minister said Pakistan wanted peace in Afghanistan but India is creating unrest in Pakistan by using the Afghan soil.

He said the country had been bearing the brunt of being the ally of the United States.