WASHINGTON: CIA director Mike Pompeo says the United States can restoresecurity assistance to Pakistan if it takes ‘decisive actions’ againstterrorists.
In an interview to the CBS, Pompeo cited the US President Donald Trump asasking Pakistan to “cease” being a safe haven for terrorists that threatenthe US.
The US has suspended about $2 billion in security aid to Pakistan for‘failing’ to clamp down on the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Networkterror groups and dismantle their safe havens.
The freezing of all security assistance to Pakistan comes after PresidentDonald Trump in a New Year’s Day tweet accused the country of givingnothing to the US but “lies and deceit” and providing “safe haven” toterrorists in return for $33 billion aid over the last 15 years.
“We see the Pakistanis continuing to provide safe harbour for terroristswho present risks to the United States of America,” Pompeo was quoted assaying by the CBS.
“We are doing our best to inform the Pakistanis that this is no longergoing to be acceptable. So this conditioned aid, we have given them achance. If they fix this problem, we are happy to continue to engage withthem and be their partner. But if they don’t, we’re going to protectAmerica,” Pompeo said.
He was responding to questions on the recent decision of the Trumpadministration to suspend approximately $2 billion in security assistanceto Pakistan.
“The president has made very clear that he needs Pakistan to cease being asafe haven for terrorists that threaten the United States of America, end,period, full stop,” Pompeo said, reflecting the stand taken by Trump.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Jan 1 the United States has “foolishly”handed Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years whilegetting nothing in return, and pledged to put a stop to it.
“They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with littlehelp. No more!” Trump wrote on Twitter. “The United States has foolishlygiven Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years,and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leadersas fools.”
Pakistan’s foreign minister, Khawaja M. Asif, wrote on Twitter “We willrespond to President Trump’s tweet shortly inshallah…Will let the worldknow the truth..difference between facts & fiction.”
In countering U.S. criticism, Pakistan says it has launched militaryoperations to push out militants from its soil and that 17,000 Pakistanishave died fighting militants or in bombings and other attacks since 2001.