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Published 24 Oct, 2017 06:19pm

Senate chairman rejects Tillerson's statement, calls it 'unacceptable'

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani on Tuesday expressed concern over the statement made by United States (US) Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Afghanistan a day earlier.

"His [Tillerson] tone and tenor are not acceptable," the Senate chairman declared. "His statement came one day before his visit to Pakistan. It seems like a viceroy told Tillerson what to say [on his visit]."

He also summoned Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif to appear before the Senate on Wednesday and inform about the "US demands". He said that the Parliament and Senate have been kept in the dark about the conditions that were laid down by the US.

He also suggested that Tillerson should read the resolutions and recommendations passed by the Parliament "so he knows what [Pakistan's] reaction is".

In a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Monday, Tillerson had said that Pakistan "needs to take a clear-eyed view of the situation that they are confronted with in terms of the number of terrorist organisations that find safe haven [in the country]".

He arrived in Pakistan earlier in the day and held meetings with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and other top officials.

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