Pakistan has already refused to ‘do more’ for the United States, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, in response to a tweet by US President Donald Trump, said that Pakistan has already refused to ‘do more’ for the United States.
“We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trump’s ‘no more’ does not hold any importance,” Asif said in a TV interview.
Today, United States President Donald Trump has once again criticised Pakistan’s role in War against terrorism in Afghanistan.
Trump in his very first tweet of 2018, accused Pakistan of being the provider of save heavens to Taliban and told that Pakistan has given us nothing but lies and deceit, nothing else.
US president Trump used his official twitter to make serious accusations against Pakistan, here is his statement:
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 & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018
“Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received,” Asif said in a strongly worded statement in response to Trump’s tweet that accuses Pakistan of providing safe havens to terrorists that the US is hunting in Afghanistan.
Regarding the US president’s claims of giving billions in aid to Pakistan, he said: “The claim by Trump regarding the funds, if we account for it, they include reimbursements too for the services rendered by Pakistan.”
“Trump is disappointed at the US defeat in Afghanistan and that is the only reason he is flinging accusations at Pakistan,” the foreign minister said.
“Our land, roads, rail and, other, different kinds of services were used for which we were reimbursed. A proper audit took place for the reimbursements,” he added.
Asif also spoke against the US’ military presence in Afghanistan, stating that peaceful negotiations are the only possible solution in the neighbouring country.
“They [US] are reinforcing their failure in Afghanistan by extending their military presence but only a peaceful solution is possible,” he said. “It [US] should, instead, try to negotiate with Taliban in Afghanistan.”
He further added that only Afghanistan’s neighbours can find a peaceful solution for regional peace and security.
When asked about the government’s stance if the US conducts drone attacks in settled areas of the country, the foreign minister said that the country will defend its sovereignty.
The federal minister also emphasised that Pakistan’s foreign policy is only focused on national interest.