US seeking Pakistan's cooperation to resolve Afghan issue

US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale has said his country values Pakistan's role in the war against terror and is seeking Islamabad's cooperation to resolve Afghan issue.

Ambassador Hale made these remarks during meeting with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at GHQ on Wednesday.

He briefed the Army Chief about the new US policy.

General Bajwa said that peace in Afghnaistan is as important for Pakistan as for many any other country.

"We have done a lot towards that end and shall keep on doing our best, not to appease anyone but in line with our national interest and national policy," he added.

The army chief said that Pakistan was not looking for any material or financial assistance from USA but trust, understanding and acknowledgement of their contributions.

He further said that collaboration and synergy of effort between all stakeholders was the key to bring the long drawn war in Afghanistan to its logical conclusion.

United States Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale briefed Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday on the statements made by President Donald Trump regarding Pakistan in his South Asia policy announcement earlier in the day.

A Pakistan Foreign Office press release said Ambassador Hale had informed Foreign Minister Asif that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would spell out in greater detail the various aspects of the bilateral relationship between the two countries and explain America's South Asia policy.

Ambassador Hale was told of Pakistan's desire for peace in Afghanistan. Foreign Minister Asif told the envoy that Pakistan would continue to work with the international community to eliminate the menace of terrorism; the Dawn quoted the press release, as saying.

Asif also informed that he had accepted Tillerson's invitation to visit Washington.

Earlier in the day, President Trump described Pakistan as a country that continues to offer safe haven to "agents of chaos".

"We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations," Trump said as he cleared the way for the deployment of thousands more US troops to Afghanistan, backtracking from his promise to swiftly end America's longest war.

"We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting. That will have to change and that will change immediately," President Trump said.