Pakistan lost Rs10tn in 16-year fight against terrorism

ISLAMABAD: Official documents presented during the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting on Tuesday informed the session that Pakistan has suffered losses worth Rs10 trillion in fighting terrorism over the last 16 years, sources informed Geo News. 

Officials during the NSC meeting on Tuesday briefed the participants about the financial losses incurred in fighting the war on terror, sources said.

The documents suggest that Pakistan suffered a loss Rs5.3 trillion in its tax recovery system, sources disclosed. Similarly, Pakistan also witnessed a decline in foreign investment by Rs1.99 trillion, whereas Rs928 billion in damages were caused to the country's basic infrastructure.

In reference to privatisation, the country incurred losses worth Rs262 billion, while an additional Rs15 billion damages were incurred due to persisting uncertainty, sources added.

The highest losses incurred by Pakistan, i.e. Rs2.03 trillion, came in year 2010-11, followed by Rs1.96 trillion in 2012-13. 

In 2009-10, Pakistan suffered losses of Rs1.13 trillion losses.

The disclosures come at a time of heightened tensions between Pakistan and the United States.

US to announce further action against Pakistan within days: White House

US says it expects far more cooperation from Pakistan; details on specific actions to come out in 24 to 48 hours

In a tweet on Monday, US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing but lies and deceit, thinking US leaders to be fools.

"They give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" he had said.

Trump tweet followed a statement by the White House on Tuesday saying that it wanted to see Pakistan do more to fight terrorism and that it would likely announce actions to pressure Islamabad within days.

Meanwhile, Islamabad reacted strongly to the US allegations, with Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif saying that the US President's 'no more' holds no importance.

Pakistan also summoned the US ambassador in a rare public rebuke after Trump's allegations.

On Tuesday, a high-level huddle of the Pakistani civil-military leadership expressed disappointment over the US president's anti-Pakistan statement, however, decided not to take measures in haste in reply to US allegations.

Trump's comments "struck with great insensitivity" and "negated the decades of sacrifices made by the Pakistani nation", read a press statement issued after the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting in Islamabad.

It said that Pakistan cannot be blamed for failures in Afghanistan and accusing allies will not lead to the establishment of peace in the neighbouring country.