America cancelled aid to strengthen Indo-US front against China, claims Pak senator

Islamabad, Sep 4: With Washington deciding to cancel $300 million aid to Islamabad for failure to take decisive action against the terrorists, Pakistan Senator, Mushahid Hussain, has said that US' move is aimed at strengthening a front against China.

Hussain, who heads the foreign affairs committee in Pakistan's senate, said that the Trump administration's decision will undermine the visit of US secretary of state Mike Pompeo later this week.

Mushahid Hussain

"American stoppage of $ 300 m. Coalition Support Funds (CSF) undermines Pompeo visit to Islamabad & is a sop to India as he seeks to solidify Indo-US front against Pakistan's best friend, China; earlier, $ 500 m CSF was stopped, all this is money owed to Pakistan by US, NOT aid!" Hussain tweeted.

The U.S. military on Sunday said it has made a final decision to cancel $300 million in aid to Pakistan that had been suspended over Islamabad's perceived failure to take decisive action against militants, in a new blow to deteriorating ties between the two countries. (Image credit - Twitter/@Mushahid)

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi earlier said the $300 million that the Pentagon has decided to scrap is not a military aid to Pakistan, but what it owns to Islamabad for its support in the war against terrorism and should reimburse it

The Pentagon

The Pentagon on Saturday announced that it will cancel $300 million aid to Pakistan over its failure to take actions against terror groups. Qureshi said the matter will be taken up during Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to the country on September 5.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo

The US comes just days before Pompeo is due to visit Pakistan to meet the country's new Prime Minister Imran Khan. The US and others have long complained that Pakistan provides safe haven to terrorists' networks, allowing them to carry out cross-border attacks in Afghanistan.