Turbulence in ties with US 'temporary', says Pakistan day after suspending intel co-op

ISLAMABAD: A day after suspending intelligence and military cooperation with the White House, Pakistan has claimed that it received a telephone call from the United States assuring that the 'turbulence' is 'temporary'.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa reportedly received the call from the Commander US Central Command (Centcom), General Joseph L. Votel and another a US Senator to discuss Pak-US security cooperation.

Taking to Twitter, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor official spokesperson of Pakistani Army, said:

Comd USCENTCOM & a US Senator telephoned COAS to discuss security coop post POTUS tweet. “Entire Pakistani nation felt betrayed on trivialising our decade old cooperation. We won’t ask for restoration of financial assistance but honourable recognition of our contributions”, COAS. pic.twitter.com/oHEQGGvyIf — Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) January 12, 2018

General Joseph L Votel said, claimed COAS, the current turbulence between US and Pakistan is "a temporary phase" and that US values Pakistan’s role in the so-called 'War on Terror'.

Yesterday, Pakistan's top civil-military leadership briefed international envoys on counter-terrorism efforts taken by the country in the last 16 years.

He said that the White House must end it's threatening and intimidating attitude towards the country.

“Defence Minister said in order to achieve the targets, #UnitedStates should revive the strategic dialogue with #Pakistan and avoid threatening or intimidating attitude against it. He said Al-Qaeda was eliminated from the region due to #Pakistan's cooperation with  #UnitedStates,” tweeted Government of Pakistan.

The statement came days after Trump administration blocked the $255 million military aid to Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Wednesday played the victim card, claiming that India is 'distracting' it from counter-terrorism efforts. Briefing international diplomats on the country's effort to tackle terror outfits on home soil, Pakistan's top civil-military leadership harped on how Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is contributing towards internal instability.