Pakistan-US warfare of words over Donald Trump’s tweet

Pakistan has hit serve after accusations of deception and offering a correct haven for « terrorists », levelled by US President Donald Trump by Twitter.

In his first tweet of the twelve months on Monday, Trump threatened to lessen reduction to Pakistan for allegedly lying to the US and offering « little serve » in hunting « terrorists » in Afghanistan.

« The United States has foolishly given Pakistan bigger than $33 billion in reduction over the leisure 15 years, and so they’ve given us nothing but lies and deceit, pondering of our leaders as fools, » Trump acknowledged.

« They provide correct haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little serve. No more! »

In a strongly worded response, Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s foreign minister, acknowledged Trump is making an strive guilty Pakistan for its failure to make a choice the warfare in Afghanistan.

« Trump is upset on the US defeat in Afghanistan and that’s the acceptable motive he is flinging accusations at Pakistan, » Asif instructed the Pakistani TV network Geo on Monday.

The United States has foolishly given Pakistan bigger than 33 billion greenbacks in reduction over the leisure 15 years, and so they’ve given us nothing but lies & deceit, pondering of our leaders as fools. They provide correct haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little serve. No more!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018

« We own already instructed the US that we’re going to now not discontinuance more, so Trump’s ‘no more’ does now not defend any importance. »

He acknowledged « Pakistan is able to publicly provide every ingredient of the US reduction that it has received. »

Individually, Khurram Dastagir, Pakistan’s defence minister, pledged to defend his country’s sovereignty.

Pakistan’s foreign office summoned the US ambassador in Islamabad on Monday and lodged its disclose against Trump’s tweet.

Richard Snelsire, US embassy spokesperson, confirmed to Al Jazeera that David Hale used to be known as upon by the foreign office. 

Pak as anti-apprehension ally has given free to US: land & air communication, navy bases & intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over remaining 16yrs, but they’ve given us nothing but invective & distrust. They fail to note rotten-border correct havens of terrorists who waste Pakistanis.

— Pak Minister Defence (@PakMnstrDefence) January 1, 2018

Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder, reporting from Islamabad on Tuesday, acknowledged there is « some rating language popping out of Pakistan ».

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pakistan’s prime minister, has known as a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), comprising the military chief, naval and air heads, intelligence chiefs and other ministers, on Tuesday to communicate about the future direction of motion.

« The NSC meeting is going to be mandatory since the Pakistani govt is going to achieve out with a firm response against what they suppose is an irrational, irresponsible commentary by the US president, » Al Jazeera’s correspondent acknowledged. 

‘Hostile’ ties

Family between the US and Pakistan own deteriorated since the Trump administration began taking a now not easy line on Afghanistan.

Final Thursday, Pakistan’s navy warned the US against the doubtless of taking unilateral motion against armed groups on its soil.

Throughout a surprise consult with to the US largest navy low in Afghanistan in December, US Vice President Mike Pence acknowledged « Trump has set aside Pakistan on gape ».

Pakistan’s foreign office reacted by asserting « allies discontinuance now not set aside every other on gape » and calling for the focus as a replace to be on rising « peace and reconciliation ».

Zahid Hussain, a safety analyst, instructed Al Jazeera that Trump’s « shameful » message does now not attain as a surprise.

« We own considered that relatives between Washington and Islamabad had been strained for a while and so they’re increasingly turning into opposed, » he instructed Al Jazeera by phone from Islamabad.

He acknowledged the Trump administration’s tricky rhetoric and rising stress on Pakistan reflects « US frustration at now not achieving any steadiness in Afghanistan after bigger than sixteen years of battle ».

US reduction

Commenting on Trump’s reference to « $33 billion in reduction over the leisure 15 years », Asif, the Pakistan defence minister, acknowledged: « If we fable for it, they comprise reimbursements too for the products and providers rendered by Pakistan. »

Of the US funds allocated to Pakistan, a mighty section goes to the Coalition Make stronger Fund (CSF), which is the repayment for costs incurred by Pakistan for taking half in the US-led « warfare on apprehension » and supporting US operations in Afghanistan.

Since 2001, the US has appropriated $33bn to Pakistan, basically based on legit US figures, sourced from the Congressional Compare Provider.

As such, complete US reduction allocated to Pakistan – both civilian and militia – since 2001 is $19.354bn.

Total reduction actually disbursed at some level of that duration stands at $14.788bn, basically based on US AID figures.

In August, the US acknowledged it used to be withholding $255m in navy assistance to Pakistan till the country elevated its efforts to crack down on inner « terrorist » groups.

Hussain, the protection analyst, acknowledged the curtailing of funds to Pakistan by Trump’s administration will now not own a main fabricate on the economy.

« There could be a duration of reveal if The United States stops all reduction, » he acknowledged, « However this may occasionally maybe now not lead to the final give draw of Pakistan’s economy. »

Extra reporting by Asad Hashim in Islamabad, Pakistan 

Follow Saba Aziz on Twitter: @saba_aziz