ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Friday said Pakistan’s behind-the-scenes diplomacy with the United States was continuing and the onus of repairing ties lay with Washington, whose unilateral actions had damaged the relationship.

“Pakistan and the US are trying to find common ground in their bilateral relations, which is happening outside public glare. So far, we have not failed,” FO spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said at his weekly media briefing.

The secret dialogue between the two countries had commenced soon after the US suspended military assistance following President Donald Trump’s New Year tweet, accusing Pakistan of lies and deceit. The dialogue began between Pentagon and the GHQ and is believed to be continuing at the same level and between the same principals — Centcom Commander Gen Joseph Votel and Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa.

Lately, the military’s top brass had at the corps commanders’ conference signalled its desire for cooperation with the US.

Tensions between Islamabad and Washington had intensified after the announcement of the Trump administration’s strategy for South Asia and Afghanistan, which was very critical of Pakistan for its alleged inaction against terror sanctuaries used for sustaining the insurgency in Afghanistan.

“Several unilateral actions by the US in recent months have impacted the relationship and it is for the US to rebuild the trust. We have categorically conveyed to the US that this relationship can move forward only in an environment of mutual trust and respect,” the FO spokesperson underlined.

The US government’s move to get Pakistan grey listed with counter-illicit financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force has complicated the situation further.

“Once things get clearer, we will be able to comment on Pak-US relations in this context,” Dr Faisal said.

Regarding CPEC security, the spokesperson seconded his Chinese counterpart Geng Shuang in rejecting a media report that Chinese officials were holding talks with Baloch militants for securing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in violence-hit Balochistan.

“I have never heard of such things as you mentioned. The Chinese and the Pakistani governments have been working in coordination on security matters regarding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor,” the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson had said.

The Chinese spokesperson had further said: “We appreciate that Pakistan has already taken a series of important measures for the effective protection of the CPEC projects and Chinese citizens. We hope and believe that the Pakistani side will continue with these efforts to ensure the safety of the CPEC.”

Dr Faisal said after a categorical denial by the Chinese foreign ministry, “nothing more needs to be said on that”.

He also dismissed Indian allegations that Pakistan with the support of China was pushing illegal migrants from Bangladesh into India’s northeastern states, saying it was a figment of the Indian army chief’s imagination.

Commenting on the Agni-II missile test, the spokesperson warned that India’s arms build-up had pushed the region into a vicious arms race.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2018