US envoy conveys to FO his govt’s message on Kashmir attack

ISLAMABAD: United States Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Paul Jones on Friday called on Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua to convey “an important message” from the Trump administration, a Foreign Office source said.

The meeting took place in the aftermath of a suicide attack in India-held Kashmir, which has raised tensions between Pakistan and India.

“The US Embassy had sought the meeting,” said embassy’s spokesman Richard Snelsire, but he did not divulge the contents of the meeting.

A source, however, said the message pertained to the post-attack situation.

The White House had, in its reaction to the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force bus in Pulwama on Thursday that left 44 paramilitary personnel dead, asked Pakistan “to end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil”.

The statement had said the goal of those terrorist groups was “to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region”.

The attack, the White House said, strengthened its resolve to bolster counterterrorism cooperation and coordination with India.

A State Department statement, meanwhile, said: “We call on all countries to uphold their responsibilities pursuant to UN Security Council resolutions to deny safe haven and support for terrorists.”

American National Sec­urity Adviser John Bolton also spoke to his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said Beijing wanted relevant countries in the region to make joint efforts to combat terrorism and preserve regional peace and security.

“China will continue to deal with the relevant listing issue in a constructive and responsible manner,” he said while responding to a question about Beijing’s technical hold on listing of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar by the United Nations.