INP-WealthPk

PPP seeks explanation over Imran-Pompeo call transcript

August 30, 2018

ISLAMABAD, Aug 30 (IJP): Pakistan Peoples’ Party Senator Sherry Rehman on Thursday sought explanation from the government over the controversy erupted after the US issued readout of telephonic discussion of PM Imran Khan and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Speaking in Senate, the PPP leader asked the prime minister to explain the factual position of the government in this regard. ‘The US has issued the transcript of the call between them but the Foreign Office is now dragging it’s feet and saying we don’t want to prolong the controversy,’ she further added. The Foreign Office Thursday said Pakistan has decided not to take further the issue of telephonic conversation and would like the “episode to end”. “We would want the episode to end. Politically we need to move on,” Foreign Office Spokesman Muhammad Faisal said at the weekly press briefing to a question on the reports that the US State Department had shared the transcript of the call with Pakistan. Earlier, Pakistan had rejected the statement issued by the State Department which said that “Secretary Pompeo raised the importance of Pakistan taking decisive action against all terrorists operating in Pakistan and its vital role in promoting the Afghan peace process”. The Spokesman said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had also commented on the issue and there was the need for Pakistan and the United States to “politically move on”.