Pakistan needs to deliver outcomes, build trust: US

WASHINGTON: The United States has emphasised the need for Pakistan "to deliver outcomes and build confidence and trust" between the two countries.

Responding to a journalist's question regarding President Donald Trump's accusations of Pakistan harbouring terrorists, Deputy Spokesperson of the State Department Robert Palladino said, “The Secretary has emphasised the need for Pakistan to deliver outcome and build confidence and trust between our two countries."

Earlier this month Trump launched a tirade against Pakistan, alleging that the United States had “paid Pakistan billions of dollars and they never informed us he [Osama bin Laden] was living there.”

“Of course we should have captured Osama Bin Laden long before we did. I pointed him out in my book just BEFORE the attack on the World Trade Center. President Clinton famously missed his shot. We paid Pakistan Billions of Dollars & they never told us he was living there. Fools!” the US president had tweeted.

On a question about the tweets coming at a time when the US was looking towards Pakistan to bring the Taliban to the table for peace negotiations, Palladino said, “Our policy towards Pakistan is clear.”

The spokesperson welcomed Pakistan’s efforts to increase people-to-people ties with India by breaking ground for the Kartarpur corridor earlier this week. 

“I understand that it’s kind of a visa-free way for Indians to visit this important Sikh site. And of course, the United States — we would welcome efforts to increase people-to-people ties between India and Pakistan,” he said. 

When asked if there would be any meetings between Washington and Islamabad, the spokesperson said, "No new meetings have been planned between the two countries at the moment."

Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the foundation of the Kartarpur corridor on Wednesday, which connects Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur area of Pakistan’s Narowal with Dera Baba Nanak in India's Gurdaspur District.