‘FACTUALLY INCORRECT’

Pakistan Says U.S. Lied About Call Between Pompeo and Prime Minister Khan

Dispute over whether the two discussed Pakistani terrorists.

Pakistan has accused the U.S. of fabricating an account of a conversation between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the country’s new prime minister, Imran Khan. The U.S. State Department readout of the call said Pompeo asked Khan to take “decisive action against all terrorists operating in Pakistan,” but Pakistani officials say Pompeo didn’t bring it up. “Pakistan takes exception to the factually incorrect statement issued by U.S. State Dept on today’s phone call,” said the spokesman for Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs. “There was no mention at all in the conversation about terrorists operating in Pakistan. This should be immediately corrected.” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the department will “stand by our readout,” calling Pakistan “an important partner” in the region. Khan, who became prime minister after last month’s election, is well-known for his criticism of U.S. military policy in Afghanistan.