Civil Military decides to gradually move away from US towards new regional and international allies
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Islamabad - In the aftermath of the President Donald Trump’s tweet against Pakistan and the follow up events of the US State and Defence Department regarding Pakistan it appears that Pakistan US relations are not going to improve under the new US administration.
Keeping in mind the ground realities and the US administration attitude towards Pakistan the civil and military huddle has decided to gradually move away from US towards regional and international friends.
The civil and military leadership on Thursday decided to enhance relations with other friendly countries instead of the United States.
A moot under the chair of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was briefed on the prevailing national security issues and Pakistan’s relations with other countries.
According to sources, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif told the huddle that there has been no improvement in the relations with the US. He said that the US has been conveyed loud and clear that harsh language and threats were not acceptable.
Secretary Foreign Affairs Tehmina Janjua said that talks were ongoing with the US at the military and diplomatic level.
According to the sources, Janjua informed the meeting that the US has no plans of any military operation inside the Pakistan territory.
Military officials told the meeting that the suspension of US security and military aid would not make any major effect on the overall performance of the Pakistan Army.
Defense Minister Khurram Dastagir said that the US has yet to pay Rs2 billion under the Coalition Support Fund.
Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Muftah Ismail said that the US aid was already insufficient and the expenses were met from the national kitty.
The participants suggested to cut any dependency on the US aid and meet the expense of ongoing war on terror from own resources.
They also stressed the need for a unanimous decision on behalf of the military and civil leadership from the platform of the parliament regarding the Pak-US relations.
The meeting was attended by the officials including parliamentary leaders of the Senate and the National Assembly, the Defence Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Director General Military Operations Maj-Gen Tahir Shamshad and Adviser to National Security Nasir Janjua also attended the meeting.
Pakistan and US relations has been witnessing a historic nose-dive after US President Donald Trump in its tweet on New Year bashed Islamabad stating: “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools.
“They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!” Trump wrote on the social media. The tweet was followed by confirmation from the White House that the US will be suspending $255 million of military aid to Pakistan, a move aimed to tighten economic restrictions on Pakistan.
The tweet sparked a strong reaction in Pakistan. Last week, the US rejected any plans to conduct military operations inside Pakistan.
“We actually don’t contemplate military operations inside Pakistan,” US Joint Staff Director Lt-Gen Kenneth McKenzie told the media at a Pentagon news briefing last week.
Civil, mily leadership for augmenting
ties with ‘friends’
