WASHINGTON – Ahead of the high profile visit by the top US diplomaticauthorities, Washington gives a worst blow to Pakistan.
The U.S. military cancels $300 million in aid to Pakistan that had beensuspended over Islamabad’s perceived failure to take decisive actionagainst militants, in a new blow to deteriorating ties.
The so-called Coalition Support Funds were part of a broader suspension inaid to Pakistan announced by President Donald Trump at the start of theyear, when he accused Pakistan of rewarding past assistance with “nothingbut lies & deceit.”
The Trump administration says Islamabad is granting safe haven toinsurgents who are waging a 17-year-old war in neighboring Afghanistan, acharge Pakistan denies.
But U.S. officials had held out the possibility that Pakistan could winback that support if it changed its behavior.
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U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, in particular, had an opportunity toauthorize $300 million in CSF funds through this summer – if he sawconcrete Pakistani actions to go after insurgents. Mattis chose not to, aU.S. official told Reuters.
“Due to a lack of Pakistani decisive actions in support of the South AsiaStrategy the remaining $300 (million) was reprogrammed,” Pentagon spokesmanLieutenant Colonel Kone Faulkner said.
Faulkner said the Pentagon aimed to spend the $300 million on “other urgentpriorities” if approved by Congress. He said another $500 million in CSFwas stripped by Congress from Pakistan earlier this year, to bring thetotal withheld to $800 million.
The disclosure came ahead of an expected visit by U.S. Secretary of StateMike Pompeo and the top U.S. military officer, General Joseph Dunford, toIslamabad. Mattis told reporters on Tuesday that combating militants wouldbe a “primary part of the discussion.”