Pak FM Khawaja Asif meets PM after Trump's remarks on aid: report

Islamabad, Jan 1: Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi after US President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit", a media report said.

"The meeting held a detailed review of the Trump's statement," the Geo TV reported, citing its sources. It said the two leaders also discussed the country's foreign policy. "We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah... Will let the world know the truth... difference between facts and fiction..," Asif tweeted.

"We have already refused to the US mantra of 'do more' for it (US). We have told the Trump administration that we will not do 'no more' for it. The 'do more' does not hold any importance. "Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years," the minister said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman tweeted: "Coalition support funds have never been counted as an AID in any accounting by Pakistan, nor will it be seen as part of assistance. It was compensation on expenses incurred on joint action on the border. Other 'Aid' we should indeed talk about because Pakistan never charged for NATO traffic".

In a scathing attack, Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for USD 33 billion aid and said Islamabad has provided "safe haven" to terrorists. "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools," Trump said in a strongly worded tweet. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said in his first tweet of the year.

This is the strongest attack that has come from the US president. His remarks came days after the New York Times reported that the US was considering withholding USD 225 million in aid to Pakistan reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latter's reluctance in the war against terrorism.

PTI