Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that Islamabad has temporarily suspended talks with the United States as well as official bilateral visits in protest against the President Donald Trump's speech in which he lambasted Pakistan for keeping double standards in the fight against terrorism.
Pakistan parliamentarians have discussed thoroughly to suggest a policy guideline for the government in response to the new US policy on Afghanistan, The Express Tribune reported.
"As an immediate reaction, he postponed his first visit to Washington as foreign minister last week," a source quoted Asif, as saying.
Similarly, US acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Alice Well's tour had also been postponed, Asif added.
However, Pakistan has not dismissed bilateral visits or talks officially; postponement of the two high-profile visits is being viewed as a significant development.
The foreign minister emphasised that the new US policy would keep India out of any military action and it would only be limited to economic assistance in Afghanistan.
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Pakistan is also convening an international conference to highlight its contribution towards the war against terrorism and to adopt a new policy which will call a halt to Washington's unending demand to 'do more' on the issue.
While rolling out the new Afghan Policy, Trump had said, "People in Pakistan have suffered from terror, but at same time Pakistan has been safe haven for terrorists."
A source has said that Islamabad is trying to mount a diplomatic offensive to muster support of friendly countries in the face of Trump's allegations that Pakistan was hosting terrorist 'safe havens' on its soil.
However, the Pakistan government would soon hold consultations before announcing the schedule of the conference, the source added.
Earlier, Pakistan's civil and military leadership on Thursday said scapegoating them will not help stabilise the war-ravaged Afghanistan.
The U.S. President had singled out Pakistan for supporting what he called "agents of chaos".
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