In a new war of nerves between them, the U.S and Pakistan have contradicted each other on whether terrorism was discussed during a congratulatory phone call to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday.
Pakistan refuted the State Department statement that terrorism was discussed during the call. In response, the State Department reiterated that it stood by the earlier readout, but did not specifically restate that terrorism was discussed. “We stand by our readout,” said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert during her daily briefing.
Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal contradicted the readout, with a Twitter post. “Pakistan takes exception to the factually incorrect statement issued by U.S. State Dept on today’s phone call btwn PM Khan & Sec Pompeo. There was no mention at all in the conversation about terrorists operating in Pakistan. This shd [should] be immediately corrected.” Asked whether the State Department would correct its readout in light of Pakistan’s objections, Ms. Nauert said: “We stand by our readout.”
Adil Najam, Dean, Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University, said on Twitter: “The latest storm-in-a-tea cup about who said what in Imran Khan-Pompeo call is comical but also pertinent. A good metaphor for how relations have always been. What U.S. believes it has said, Pakistan does not believe it has heard. And, vice versa.”
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