Pakistan on Friday reacted sharply to the US’ decision to suspend over $1 billion security aid to it for failing to rein in terror groups, saying “arbitrary deadlines and unilateral pronouncements” are “counterproductive” in addressing terror threats. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert at a news briefing in Washington announced the US move to cut off aid, days after President Donald Trump made an scathing attack on Pakistan for giving nothing to America but “lies and deceit” in return for $33 billion aid and accused Islamabad of providing “safe haven” to terrorists.
In a carefully-worded statement, Pakistan Foreign Office said, “We are engaged with the US Administration on the issue of security cooperation and await further details. Impact of the US’ decision on pursuit of common objectives is also likely to emerge more clearly in due course of time”. At the same time, the statement made it clear that “arbitrary deadlines, unilateral pronouncements and shifting goalposts are counterproductive in addressing common threats”.
The announcement by the US led to some protests in the country, including in Chaman, one of the two main crossings on the border with Afghanistan where people chanted anti-US slogans. Pakistan, it said, believes that its cooperation with the US in fighting terrorism directly serves America’s national security interests as well as the larger interests of international community, as it helped decimate Al-Qaeda and fight other groups who took advantage of ungoverned spaces and posed a common threat to peace.