Weeks after Trump angrily accused Islamabad of providing safe haven to “agents of chaos,” secretary of state Rex Tillerson plans to depart for Pakistan late this month. Washington has long been frustrated by Pakistan’s willingness to offer cross-border safe havens to Taliban factions and armed jihadist groups fighting US troops and their Afghan allies. With little change since then, Trump came to office indicating that Washington’s frustration had reached the point where something had to give. After that, Pakistan officials said, they were surprised at a tougher tone outlined in public by Mattis and in private by Trump’s national security advisor HR McMaster. The Taliban and groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, they argue, remain a potent tool in the hands of Pakistani intelligence.

Source: Mint October 07, 2017 05:26 UTC