'US must not forget top Al-Qaida leaders were killed by Pak's cooperation,' FO lodges protest

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Tuesday summoned United States (US) charge d’affaires in Pakistan, Paul Jones, to register a ‘strong’ protest over the recent tirade of President Donald Trump against the South Asian giant.    

According to details, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua handed a letter of protest to the US representative when he arrived at the Foreign Office.

The foreign secretary conveyed “her government’s disappointment on the recent tweets and comments by the US president” and told the US charge d’affaires “that such baseless rhetoric about Pakistan was totally unacceptable.”

Such baseless rhetoric about Pakistan was totally unacceptable, FO on Trump’s tirade

“Rejecting the insinuations about Osama Bin Laden, the foreign secretary reminded the US charge d’affaires that it was Pakistan’s intelligence cooperation that provided the initial evidence to trace the whereabouts of OBL,” the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs read.

“The US must not forget that scores of top al Qaeda leaders were killed or captured by active Pakistani cooperation. Pakistan’s continued support to the efforts of international community in Afghanistan through ground/ air and sea lines of communication was unquestionably critical to the success of this Mission in Afghanistan,” the statement added.

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Janjua further told the US envoy that no other country had paid a heavier price than Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.

“In the wake of recent US pronouncements to seek political settlement in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the US were working in close coordination with other regional stake holders in order to end the prolonged conflict. At this critical juncture, baseless allegations about a closed chapter of history could seriously undermine this vital cooperation,” FO stressed.