Pakistan lodges protest with US ambassador over Trump statement

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday evening summoned United States ambassador David Hale over US President Donald Trump’s statement against Pakistan.

According to sources, Hale was summoned to record protest against Trump’s statements. The US president alleged in his tweet that Pakistan has given nothing except for “lies and deceit” in return for the aid the US provided Pakistan with. 

Trump’s ‘no more’ holds no importance: Khawaja Asif

'Already told US we will not do more, so Trump’s ‘no more’ does not hold any importance,' foreign minister says

To discuss Trump's statement, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has also summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee, sources said. The premier wants to take leaders of the opposition parties into confidence over the controversial tweet by the US president, sources added. 

In a tweet on Monday, the US president claimed that the United States had foolishly given Pakistan over $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years.

In his tweet, Trump accused Pakistan of thinking US leaders to be fools. “They give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”  

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, in a reply to the US president's tweet, said Pakistan will let the world know the truth and will be responding to Trump's tweet.

'No more': Trump lambasts Pakistan, threatens to cut US aid

Trump accuses Pakistan of giving nothing but lies and deceit and providing safe haven to terrorists

He added that there is a difference between facts and fiction.

The foreign minister, following the tweet by Trump, called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, sources informed Geo News.

The meeting held a detailed review of Trump's statement, sources added, besides discussing the country's foreign policy.

‘Pakistan has done enough, time for Afghanistan and US to do more’

In a news conference held on 28 December, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), Major General Asif Ghafoor stated no organised infrastructure of a terrorist organisation exists in Pakistan. His statement was in reference to the unfounded talk by the US and Afghanistan on the presence of terrorist bases in Pakistan.

“We have been saying that Pakistan has fought twice an imposed and imported war inside Pakistan. We have sacrificed a lot. We have paid a huge price both in blood and treasure. We have done enough and we cannot do any more for anyone. Whatever we are doing and shall, will only be done for Pakistan.”

The spokesperson clarified that the Coalition Support Fund, received from the US, is reimbursement of money spent for operations in support of the coalition for regional peace.

"Had we not supported, al-Qaeda would not have been defeated," the ISPR chief stated.

Commenting on blaming Pakistan for inaction against the Haqqani Network, Ghafoor said: “Blame for inaction against [the] Haqqani Network might have been relevant owing to our capacity issues till Zarb-e-Azb".

However, he added, the Army went into North Waziristan indiscriminately and took action against the Haqqani Network as well. “The effect of any operation does not appear at that time. What we do today or this year, the impact will be felt in subsequent years and months.”

He further said that if there any facilitators or abettors inside Pakistan, that can only be addressed if 2.7 million Afghan refugees are sent back to Afghanistan for which pull factors should be created by Kabul and Washington.