US Defence Secy Mattis meets Pak PM Abbasi

Islamabad: The United States’s (US) Defence Secretary, retired Gen James Mattis, met Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday after arriving in Islamabad earlier in the day on his first visit since taking charge of the Pentagon.
The US defence secretary had landed at an air force base in Rawalpindi and headed straight to the US Embassy. Upon his arrival, he was received by officials from the Defence Ministry, the Foreign Ministry, and the US Embassy. PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had received Mattis in the afternoon at Prime Minister House.
Pakistan’s national English daily “Dawn” reported that during the meeting, General Mattis stated that the purpose of his visit was to find “common grounds” in order to create a positive, consistent and long-term relationship with Pakistan, read a statement issued by Prime Minister House.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, National Security Adviser Nasser Khan Janjua and Director General (DG) ISI Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar were among those who attended the meeting. US Ambassador David Hale was also present.
“The US defence secretary said he was aware of the sacrifices rendered and the lives lost in Pakistan’s fight against terrorism and extremism,” the PM House statement read. Mattis was also reported to have appreciated the professional abilities of Pakistan’s armed forces.
Mattis underscored the importance of continuing and deepening cooperation for the “common objective of eliminating terrorism from the region”, read the PM House’s statement.
Prime Minister Abbasi underlined the need for broad-based engagement to strengthen the partnership and enhance cooperation between the two countries, the statement said.
Articulating Pakistan’s perspective, the prime minister noted that no other country benefits more from peace and stability in Afghanistan than Pakistan. He agreed with Mattis that both Pakistan and the US have common stakes in securing peace and security in Afghanistan for the long-term stability of the broader region.
The premier also appreciated the US’s resolve not to allow the use of Afghan soil against Pakistan.
Sharing highlights of recent counter-terrorism operations to improve the domestic law and order situation, PM Abbasi noted that Pakistan, in its national interest, would continue to conduct intelligence-based operations all over the country to consolidate the gains achieved in the last four years.
The prime minister reiterated that there was no safe haven in Pakistan and the entire nation was committed to its resolve on “eradicating terrorism once and for all in all its forms and manifestations”. Mattis reportedly also spoke with Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in a later meeting.