By Mati Ullah Khan
NEW YORK: If not blatantly, the US President Donald Trump on Monday unambiguously admitted that his predecessors ‘treated Pakistan very badly’, and also demonstrated reluctance to link extremism with Pakistan.
“You’ve (Pakistanis) had a lot of dishonesty, and they’ve (former US presidents) treated Pakistan very badly. The people in my position have treated Pakistan very badly. I think that — I wouldn’t say Pakistan has treated us too well either, but maybe there was a reason. And, in fact, I think there was a reason for it,” Trump remarked in reply to a question prior to his meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan in New York on the sidelines of the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly.
The US president also didn’t fall short of wards to praise Pakistan and its leader Imran Khan. He overtly stated that he trusts Pakistan, and he has a lot of Pakistani friends living in New York.
“I trust Pakistan. But people before me didn’t, but they didn’t know what they were doing,” President Trump said. “You know, I — you know what I do? I trust this gentleman (Imran Khan) right here. And I do trust Pakistan.”
A day earlier, addressing the ‘Howdy, Modi’ event in Houston along with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Trump sent a loud and clear message to the world that he (Trump) would protect India from “Radical Islamic Terrorism”.
When asked for his opinion on what Modi had alleged in Houston about Pakistan’s being the hub of terrorism and his own remarks about “Radical Islamic Terrorism”, Trump said that he had actually pointed towards Iran.
Donald Trump also expressed happiness over the progress that Pakistan had made countering terrorism.
“They’ve (Pakistan) made great progress. And under this leader (Imran Khan) — he’s a great leader — I think he wants to make great progress because there’s no solution the other way. The other way is only going to lead to death and chaos and poverty. It’s all it’s going to lead to. I mean, he understands it. Your Prime Minister understands it,” the US president said.
The US president also reiterated his offer to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue.
“It would always stand. If I can help, I would certainly do that. And it will be dependent on both of these gentlemen (Imran Khan and Narendra Modi). But certainly, I would be willing to help if both wanted,” Trump remarked when a journalist reminded him of his mediation offer on Kashmir, the former made when Imran Khan visited the US for the first time as the prime minister in July 2018.
The US president noted that Kashmir’s is a complex issue that has been going on for a long time but emphasised that arbitration can not be carried out unless both parties involved welcome it.
Though not clearly referring to the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir, President Trump remarked to a question about Indian atrocities in the besieged valley that “I want everybody to be treated well”.
Later both the US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Imran Khan held bilateral negotiations, and reviewed the evolving regional peace and security scenario.
They also dwelt at length on joint efforts for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.
Imran Khan highlighted the importance of immediate lifting of the curfew and other restrictions in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir, and resolving the dispute for durable peace and stability in South Asia.
The prime minister appreciated President Trump’s continued offers of assistance in mediating the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
The two leaders reaffirmed their resolve to build a broad-based and mutually-beneficial partnership.
President @realDonaldTrump just kicked off a full slate of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of #UNGA!
He spoke with PM @ImranKhanPTI of Pakistan about opportunities to build on energy cooperation and trade ties between our two countries. pic.twitter.com/XzgQy1bX3L
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 23, 2019
Briefing the media about Imran-Trump meeting in New York, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi told that the US President Donald Trump has mandated Prime Minister Imran Khan to mediate between the United States and Iran.
Qureshi told that Prime Minister Imran Khan in his meeting with President Trump reiterated that there is no military solution to Afghan crisis and the issue can only be resolved through talks.
Imran Khan told President Trump said that the region cannot afford another war and if an impulsive action is taken, it could have devastating impact on the region and beyond.
