Mutual interests to drive Pak-US ties forward: Foreign minister
He was addressing a press conference in Islamabad.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Responding to cut in military aid by Trump administration, Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday vowed to ‘restore relations with United States by remaining within sphere of respect’.
He was addressing a press conference in Islamabad.
“Pakistan has rendered unrivalled sacrifices in WoT. We will hear stance of US and put forward ours. We will strengthen bilateral ties under context of mutual interests.”, Qureshi added.
Shah apprised US was not giving any aid rather reimbursing Pakistan’s expenditures incurred in WoT under Coalition Support Fund. He stated stalemate persisted in Pak-US ties during tenure of Nawaz-led Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz’s government.
Stressing on rapprochement, Shah stated Pakistan wants to rid region of the menace of terrorism.
On closing consulate in Afghanistan, Shah replied Afghan’s foreign minister will call him tomorrow at 10AM and matter would be discussed in detail.
US cancels military aid
The U.S. military said it has made a final decision to cancel $300 million in aid to Pakistan that had been suspended over Islamabad’s perceived failure to take decisive action against militants, in a new blow to deteriorating ties.
The so-called Coalition Support Funds were part of a broader suspension in aid to Pakistan announced by President Donald Trump at the start of the year, when he accused Pakistan of rewarding past assistance with “nothing but lies & deceit.”
But U.S. officials had held out the possibility that Pakistan could win back that support if it changed its behavior.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, in particular, had an opportunity to authorize $300 million in CSF funds through this summer - if he saw concrete Pakistani actions to go after insurgents. Mattis chose not to, a U.S. official told Reuters.
“Due to a lack of Pakistani decisive actions in support of the South Asia Strategy the remaining $300 (million) was reprogrammed,” Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Kone Faulkner said.
Faulkner said the Pentagon aimed to spend the $300 million on “other urgent priorities” if approved by Congress. He said another $500 million in CSF was stripped by Congress from Pakistan earlier this year, to bring the total withheld to $800 million.
