Islamabad, August 22 (TNS): Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said on Tuesday that an emergency meeting of National Security Committee (NSC) has been called on Thursday to discuss US President statement and Pakistan’s next strategy.
“We held a cabinet meeting today (Tuesday) and the contents of the speech were discussed,” said Asif in an interview with a private news channel.
“We have decided to give an interim response. A comprehensive response will come after a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Thursday,” he said
The National Security Committee meeting is scheduled to take place at 11am on Thursday.
The foreign minister said the issue will also be included in the agenda of the federal cabinet.
“Trump has failed to acknowledge Pakistan’s sacrifices”, Asif said adding that “no one has invested more in the war against terrorism than Pakistan”.
US President Donald Trump, in his Afghan policy speech, warned Pakistan for allegedly offering safe haven to “agents of chaos.”
Khawaja Asif reacting the statement said: “Our contributions and sacrifices as an ally have not been acknowledged as they deserved to have been acknowledged,”.
The minister further said that Pakistan’s contributions have been disregarded and disrespected by the US president, while the role of India was hailed, which is involved in state-sponsored terrorism.
The threat of Taliban in Afghanistan is on the rise, Asif said. “We are willing to send Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan.”
“Our commitment towards war against terrorism is unmatched. We have more experience in eliminating terrorism than any other country,” he claimed.
The foreign minister, while praising the role of the armed forces said, “Pakistan’s Army contributions in the battle against terrorists are unparalleled.”
“We have fought the war using our own resources. We have sent the Afghan refugees back with our own money.”
