WASHINGTON: United States will deny Pakistan military aid amounting to $255million as it expects Islamabad to take decisive action “against terroristsand militants on its soil”.
“The United States does not plan to spend the $255 million in FY 2016 inForeign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time,” said a spokespersonof the President’s National Security Council in a statement to HindustanTimes.link>
“The president has made clear that the United States expects Pakistan totake decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and thatPakistan’s actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimatelydetermine the trajectory of our relationship, including future securityassistance.
“The administration continues to review Pakistan’s level of cooperation.”
US President Donald Trump unveiling his new US South Asia strategy haddemanded that Pakistan should “do more” against “terrorists’ safe havens onits soil”.
“We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the sametime they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting,” DonaldTrump had said and added that “But that will have to change, and that willchange immediately.”
First reported by The New York Times, the move to withhold the money, whichmay not be large but would have signaled US backing, is reported to havecome shortly after Pakistan refused to hand over to the Americans anoperative of the Haqqani Network apprehended during the rescue of anAmerican-Canadian family in October.