Pakistan to discontinue talks with US if asked 'to do more' on terror

Pakistan could discontinue talks with United States officials who are visiting the country this month if they insist that Islamabad "do more against" terror, a Pakistani newspaper reported, citing "well placed" sources.

The Express Tribune also quoted the source as saying that Pakistan "won't accept" any pressure to compromise on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) either.

"Work on the CPEC project will continue come what may. Pakistan's priority is not the US but China because Pakistan's economic future is associated with the CPEC," the source said.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Acting Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wells are schedule to visit Pakistan this month to hold talks on the US' new Afghanistan policy. 

Pakistan is not happy with the policy as US President Donald Trump in August slammed Islamabad for providing safe havens for terrorist groups and threatened the nation of dire consequences if it failed to take concrete action against terror elements. The US Afghan policy also urges India to play a greater role in Afghanistan.

"If the US foreign secretary demands for more action from Islamabad then there will be only one answer from the government: 'No more do more'," the source reportedly told The Express Tribune.

The paper in its report said the US is aware that Pakistan can end up discontinuing talks, while adding that the Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif had recently conveyed to the US that its new Afghan policy was "not acceptable" to Pakistan.

"During the visit, Pakistan will judge as to whether the US is serious to expand its relations with Pakistan. If the US foreign secretary gave any assurance of adopting a strategy to remove Pakistan's reservations on new Afghan policy, the federation will start next phase of talks with Trump authorities," the source reportedly said.

The report added that Islamabad this time will make its stance clear to the US that it has "already offered countless sacrifices for elimination of terrorism."

Asif visited the US a few days ago in an attempt to rebuild bilateral frayed ties with America after Trump's announcement of the Afghan policy.

Asif, in a meeting with Tillerson, had defended Pakistan's role in the war against terrorism by claiming that Islamabad had pursued a zero-tolerance and indiscriminate approach in its campaign against all terrorist and militant groups.