United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, ahead of his maiden visit to Pakistan on Tuesday, suggested that he will tell the hosts to cease to provide safe havens to terror groups and terrorists on its soil to better bilateral relations with America.
Tillerson's visit to Islamabad is aimed at normalising ties, which have witnessed tensions after US President Donald Trump announced America's new Afghan policy, where he slammed Pakistan for harbouring terrorism in the country.
The Secretary of State's visit comes a day after he made a policy speeh on America's growing strategic relations with India and Trump's move to offer India a bigger say in war-torn Afghanistan.
Pakistan needs to "take a clear-eyed view of the situation that they are confronted with in terms of the number of terrorist organisations that find safe haven inside" the country, Tillerson told reporters in Kabul, Afghanistan.
"We want to work closely (with) Pakistan to create a more stable and secure Pakistan as well."
"We have made some very specific requests of Pakistan in order for them to take action to undermine the support that the Taliban receives and the other terrorist organisations receive in Pakistan," Tillerson said.
Tillerson, according to the transcripts of his media interaction, said that the whole South Asia strategy of the Trump administration is a conditions-based approach.
"So, our relationship with Pakistan will also be conditions-based. It will be based upon whether they take action that we feel is necessary to move the process forward of both creating the opportunity for reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan, but also ensuring a stable future Pakistan," Tillerson said.
"In our conversations with the Pakistani leadership, we're as concerned about the future stability of Pakistan as we are in many respects here in Afghanistan," he added.
Tillerson is currently visiting Pakistan on the invitation of its Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif.
A Pakistan daily had reported earlier this month that the Pakistani government could discontinue talks with United States officials visiting the country this month if they insist that Islamabad "do more against" terror. The paper had cited "well placed" sources as saying.
The Express Tribune quoted the source, saying that Pakistan "won't accept" any pressure to compromise on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) either.
"If the US foreign secretary demands more action from Islamabad then there will be only one answer from the government: 'No more do more'," the source had reportedly told the paper.
