ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, accompanied by military chief General Joseph Dunford, arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday as part of a day-long visit aimed at resolving strained relations between the two countries.
In addition to meeting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, the duo is expected to meet with army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to discuss matters pertaining to bilateral relations and regional security.
Afghanistan is expected to feature heavily on the agenda.
"So first stop -- Pakistan. New leader there, wanted to get out there at the beginning of his time in an effort to reset the relationship between the two countries,” Pompeo said.
He said that both countries will have to make joint efforts to deal with common challenges, with Pakistan’s help needed in mediating for the Afghan peace process.
The United States has repeatedly blamed Pakistan for not taking effective measures against Taliban militants who allegedly use Pakistani soil as safe havens for the conflict in Afghanistan.
Last Saturday, Pentagon announced it was cancelling $300m in aid to Pakistan over “Islamabad's failure to take action against militant groups.”
The Trump administration has previously also accused Pakistan -- once among the closest allies of the US -- of betraying the United States.
However, Islamabad’s position has often been that the US is using Pakistan as a scapegoat for its failures in Afghanistan. Pakistan claims that it has eliminated the safe havens of all militant outfits from its soil, especially in North and South Waziristan -- the country’s tribal districts bordering Afghanistan.
Recently, the Trump administration also announced the appointment of Zalmay Khalilzad, a high-profile former US ambassador, to lead peace efforts in Afghanistan.
Pompeo and General Dunford are scheduled to travel to New Delhi immediately after their Pakistan visit for US-India talks.
