UNITED NATIONS – A top Pakistani diplomat Tuesday set the record straightafter US Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley’s incendiary remarks aboutPakistan’s role in the war on terrorism, saying Islamabad’s cooperationwith Washington was not based on any aid consideration, but “on ournational interests and principles.”
“We can review our cooperation if it is not appreciated,” AmbassadorMaleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the U.N., said inresponse to media questions about Haley’s comments at an earlier newsconference where the US envoy repeated President Donald Trump’s allegationsthat Pakistan played a double game in its counterterrorism operations andconfirmed that US was withholding $255 million in aid to the country.
“We have contributed and sacrificed the most in fighting internationalterrorism and carried out the largest counter terrorism operation anywherein the world,” Ambassador Lodhi asserted.
“US spokespersons should not shift the blame for their own mistakes andfailures onto others,” she added.
At her press conference, Haley also said she saw “clear reasons” for thedecision and said the U.S. move to halt aid was not connected to Pakistan’sUN General Assembly vote last month opposing the United States on the issueof recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
“Pakistan has played a double game for years. They work with us at times,and they also harbour the terrorists that attack our troops in Afghanistan.That game is not acceptable to this administration.”
On Monday, Trump claimed the U.S. had given Pakistan $ 33 billion toPakistan and got no cooperation in return, a statement vehemently rejectedby Islamabad.
“The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billiondollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing butlies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven tothe terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!” Trumptweeted.
Haley went a step further in warning Pakistan. “We expect far morecooperation from Pakistan in the fight against terrorism,” she said.
“The president is willing to go to great lengths to stop all funding fromPakistan as they continue to harbour and support terrorism.”
Ambassador Lodhi’s comments have been widely carried by American media.