US aid reimbursement for support in fight against Al-Qaeda: Pakistan
In a strong worded reaction to US accusations the Pakistan Army spokesman, Major General Asif Ghafoor asserted that aid Pakistan received from the US was "reimbursement for support Islamabad gave to the coalition for its fight against Al Qaeda."
The Pakistan defence ministry has also warned against the malicious campaign being used to trivialize Pakistan's achievements in the war against terrorism. Allies do not put each other on notice, it added.
Pak
as
anti-terror
ally
has
given
land
and
air
communication,
military
bases
and
intel
cooperation
free
to
US
that
decimated
Al-Qaeda
over
last
16
years,
but
they
have
given
us
nothing
but
invective
and
mistrust.
They
overlook
cross-border
safe
havens
of
terrorists
who
murder
Pakistanis,
it
said.
Minister
of
State
for
Information
and
Broadcasting
Pakistan
said
that
the
United
States
should
not
put
blames
for
its
failure
in
Afghanistan
on
Pakistan.
Pakistan
has
rendered
unmatched
sacrifices
in
the
war
against
terrorism
and
there
is
no
ambiguity
about
it,
it
added.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a Pakistani media report said. "The meeting held a detailed review of the Trump's statement," the Geo TV reported, citing its sources.
In November, the US had strongly condemned release of the Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan and had demanded his immediate re-arrest and prosecution, warning that there would be "repercussions" for bilateral ties if Islamabad fails to take "decisive action" against the JuD chief.
Saeed, who carries a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case.
In his new South Asia Policy in August, Trump had called for tougher measure against Pakistan if it fails to cooperate with the US in its fight against terrorism.
"We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond.
Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists," Trump had said in his South Asia Policy speech.
Noting that in the past, Pakistan has been a valued partner, Trump had accused it of providing shelter to the same organisations that try every single day to kill Americans.
OneIndia News (with agency inputs)