Pakistan foreign minister to drum up support after Donald Trump criticism

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif will visit several countries soon to highlight Pakistan's efforts to eliminate militancy, the Foreign Office said today, a day after the country rejected US President Donald Trump's remarks that it harboured terrorists safe havens.

Trump on Tuesday unveiled his Afghan policy and also sought an enhanced role for India in bringing peace in the war-ravaged country.

He had sternly warned Pakistan against providing safe heavens to militants.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that Pakistan has huge stakes in having a peaceful and stable Afghanistan and was committed to peace and stability in there through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process.

He claimed that Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts have been internationally acknowledged.

Zakaria said that Pakistan has taken "indiscriminate action against terrorists."

He also said that Asif would visit various countries in the coming days to highlight Pakistan's efforts to eliminate militancy.

Pakistan media reported that Asif may visit China, Islamabad's all-weather ally first. He is expected to visit Washington next amid demands from lawmakers that he should postpone the trip after Trump criticised the country.