Pak won’t seek resumption of suspended military aid: Gen Bajwa

TIL Desk/World/Islamabad/ Pakistan will not seek the resumption of suspended US military aid and feels “betrayed” by the recent critical statements of the American leadership against Islamabad’s fight against terrorism, army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said.

President Donald Trump has accused Pakistan of providing safe havens for terror groups like the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network fighting in war-torn Afghanistan.

On January 1, Trump tweeted that the US had “foolishly” given Pakistan more than USD 33 billion in aid in the last 15 years and had gotten nothing in return but “lies & deceit.” Washington has confirmed that it will withhold nearly USD two billion in aid to Pakistan.

Gen Bajwa received two telephone calls from Commander US Central Command (CENTCOM) General Joseph L. Votel and one from an unidentified US Senator over the week to discuss Pak-US security cooperation post the President Trump tweet, the army spokesman said in a statement today.

He said that Gen Votel apprised Gen Bajwa about the US decision regarding Security Assistance and Coalition Support Fund and said that US values Pakistan’s role towards war on terror and expected that on-going turbulence remains a “temporary phase”.