With Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan sitting beside him, US President Donald Trump showered praise on PM Narendra Modi and the historic community event ‘Howdy, Modi!’ that he addressed along with the PM.
Addressing the media after meeting Imran Khan, Trump praised the ‘Howdy, Modi’ mega rally in presence of Khan and said PM Modi made “very aggressive statements” on the issue of terrorism at the Houston event. He added that the statements were received well by the crowd of Indian-Americans present at the event.
Donald Trump cited PM Modi’s aggressive pitch to combat terror, especially from Pakistan, as a reason for his willingness to mediate between two countries only if both the parties agreed to it.
US President Trump during bilateral meeting with Pak PM in New York: I was sitting there (NRG stadium for Howdy Modi event) & I heard a very aggressive statement yesterday from India, from Prime Minister, I will say it was very well received within the room with 59,000 people. pic.twitter.com/U9LuFdo0eM
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2019
During the “Howdy, Modi!”, Prime Minister Modi had used the opportunity to expose the nefarious terror policy of Pakistan as he launched a full-frontal attack on the terror-state without even mentioning them. With US President Donald Trump seated in front of him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Pakistan of sponsoring terrorism in India and across the world, telling the world that the time has come for a decisive battle against terrorism.
Even, US President had acknowledged the threat that emanates from Islamic terrorism and had outlined that both India and the United States are committed to protecting innocent civilians from “Radical Islamic terrorism”. He received a standing ovation from the crowd, which also included Prime Minister Narendra Modi in whose honour the event was held.
A day after the spectacular ‘Howdy, Modi!” event, President Donald Trump had met Imran Khan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.
In yet another embarrassing incident which left Pakistan and its Prime Minister Imran Khan left red-faced, US President Donald Trump mocked one of the journalists of the country during a meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
During the press meet, a Pakistani journalist kept on asking questions to Donald Trump while trying to get a response from him. The questions were heavily slanted towards the Pakistani narrative on Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 by India. The Pakistani journalist asked Trump about the situation in Kashmir while describing India as an aggressor.
A visibly irritated Donald Trump took a dig at the Pakistani journalist, mockingly said to PM Imran Khan that “this is the kind of reporter” he liked. “Are you from his (Imran Khan) team? You are making a statement, not asking a question,” Trump asked the Pakistani reporter.
“Where do you find reporters like these? These guys are fantastic,” Donald Trump asked Pakistan PM Imran Khan as he snubbed another Pakistani journalist who tried to push his Kashmir rhetoric during the joint press conference.
Trump to Pakistani reporters: “This is the kind of reporter I like. Are you a member of his (Imran’s) team?” “you’re saying what you think.. let me put that one down as a statement.”
“Where do you find reporters like this? These guys are fantastic.” Goes ahead, doesn’t answer. ? pic.twitter.com/Fo8wLLqLK0— Naila Inayat नायला इनायत (@nailainayat) September 23, 2019
Further, demolishing Pakistan’s hope of the USA inserting itself unilaterally in the Kashmir issue, Donald Trump while addressing questions on whether he was still willing to mediate on Kashmir, said that he is willing to mediate on Kashmir issue only if both India and Pakistan agree for it, giving a virtual veto to India on the issue of Kashmir.
US President Donald Trump, during bilateral meet with Pakistan PM Imran Khan, in New York, on if he’ll offer to mediate again on Kashmir issue: I am ready, willing and able. It’s a complex issue. It’s being going on for a long time. But if both want it, I will be ready to do it. pic.twitter.com/dzcbe7WBlF
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2019
“I am ready, willing and able. It’s a complex issue. It’s been going on for a long time. But if both want it, I will be ready to do it,” Trump said.
He added, “You have to have two parties that want to agree … At some point, India may come. I have a very good relationship with Prime Minister Modi. I have a very good relationship with Prime Minister Khan, and if at any time they say, you know, we have some points that we can, maybe, iron out, I think I’d be an extremely good arbitrator.”
While Trump has time and again offered to mediate in the Kashmir matter, India has maintained that Kashmir was a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan with no scope for third party mediation.
However, within hours after Donald Trump had offered to mediate between India and Pakistan, he deleted a tweet quoting news agency ANI where he had said that he ‘hoped’ that India and Pakistan will resolve the Kashmir issue ‘quickly’.
While President Donald Trump rolled the red carpet for Prime Minister Modi, the response to Pakistan can only be considered luke-warn. The USA has long had a policy of balancing its relations with India and Pakistan. While India has been a strong trade and defence partner, Pakistan has been given alms to ensure that it helps America since the days of the Cold War. However, with Trump slashing down aid to Pakistan and putting Pakistan on warning for harbouring and aiding terrorists, the policy has shifted after Trump became the President.
