US will engage with Pakistan only if Islamabad takes decisive actions against terrorists, says CIA chief

Washington: US President Donald Trump has asked Pakistan to “cease” being a safe haven for terrorists that threaten the US, the CIA director Mike Pompeo said on Sunday. The US has suspended about $2 billion in security aid to Pakistan for failing to clamp down on the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network terror groups and dismantle their safe havens. [caption id=“attachment_4045437” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of CIA director Mike Pompeo. Reuters[/caption] The freezing of all security assistance to Pakistan comes after President Donald Trump in a New Year’s day tweet accused the country of giving nothing to the US but “lies and deceit” and providing “safe haven” to terrorists in return for $33 billion aid over the last 15 years. “We see the Pakistanis continuing to provide safe harbour, havens inside of Pakistan for terrorists who present risks to the United States of America,” Pompeo was quoted as saying by the CBS. “We are doing our best to inform the Pakistanis that this is no longer going to be acceptable. So this conditioned aid, we have given them a chance. If they fix this problem, we are happy to continue to engage with them and be their partner. But if they don’t, we’re going to protect America,” Pompeo said. He was responding to questions on the recent decision of the Trump administration to suspend approximately $2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan. “The president has made very clear that he needs Pakistan to cease being a safe haven for terrorists that threaten the United States of America, end, period, full stop,” Pompeo said, reflecting the stand taken by Trump. The security assistance can be restored if Pakistan takes decisive actions against terrorists.