Islamabad:While Pakistan is seeking diplomatic solution to iron out its differences with the US, a senior American diplomat postponed a visit to Islamabad on Sunday.
Alice G Wells, the acting US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, was to travel to Islamabad on Monday in the first high-level visit since Trump announced a new Afghan strategy.
In a statement, the Foreign Office said the visit had been postponed at the request of Pakistan until a “mutually convenient time.”
No reason was given, although sources said the visit was put on hold because the government wanted to take the guidance of parliament before holding ‘meaningful discussions’ with the US on the way forward.
Her visit to Islamabad would have been her second this month as she previously came as part of a regional tour in August for consultations on the new US strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia.
Meanwhile, Contrary to rhetoric and public perception, Pakistan has decided not to adopt a path of confrontation and will instead seek to resolve differences with the United States through diplomacy, officials reiterated on Sunday after a senior American diplomat postponed a crucial visit to Islamabad at the last minute.
The policy decision was taken during last week’s National Security Committee (NSC) meeting, during which President Donald Trump’s new strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia was the focal point.
At the crucial session of the top decision-making body on national security and foreign affairs, the country’s civil and military leadership discussed several options including whether or not Pakistan should get tough with the US.
One of the options discussed include using the crucial supply route that Pakistan provides to US and other foreign forces stationed in Afghanistan as leverage in case the Trump administration takes any punitive measures.
Retired American generals conceded that the US has to rely on Pakistan for crucial logistics. It would be “a nightmare” for the US if Pakistan decides to block those crucial supply lines, according to US Major General (retd) Mark MacCarley.
However, a senior official familiar with the closed door discussions at the NSC revealed that the civil and military leadership agreed that this was not the time to resort to such extreme measures.
“One thing is very clear – we are not going to follow a confrontational path,” said the official, who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject.
Opposition parties, particularly Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan came down hard on the government for its “callous and muted” response to Trump’s new strategy, which many here perceive as an ultimatum to Pakistan.
The official, however, made it clear that while the government was cognisant of the “core national interests”, the country could not afford any confrontation with the US.
“Our first priority is to sort out all our differences through diplomacy,” another official said.
At the weekly news briefing last Friday, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakria also dismissed the perception that Pakistan and the US were parting ways in the aftermath of Trump’s new strategy for Afghanistan.
“We have long-standing relationship with the US. We have worked with them for a long time. Our areas of cooperation are diverse and multi-dimensional. I would not endorse your views about parting ways,” he replied when asked if a divorce was on the cards for the Pakistan-US relationship.
Relations between Pakistan and the United States have been under the scanner since President Donald Trump unveiled a long-awaited strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia on August 21.
Trump’s explicit remarks accusing Pakistan of supporting “agents of chaos, violence and terrorism” have threatened to unravel the fragile ties between the two ostensible allies.
Pakistan already gave a detailed response to Trump’s new plan, rejecting allegations of ‘double play’ and harboring any terrorist sanctuaries.
