Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

US President Assails Pakistan over Terrorist Safe Havens on its Territory

US President Assails  Pakistan over Terrorist Safe Havens on its Territory

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to cut off billions of dollars in aid to Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of being a safe haven for extremists.
Alleging that Pakistan is giving safe haven to terrorist it hunts in Afghanistan, the US President Donald Trump on Monday in a tough warning said that it is no longer going to tolerate such a behavior.
“The United States has foolishly given 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 leaders as fools,” Trump said in a tweet Monday morning.
“They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!” Trump said in his first tweet of the year.
This is the strongest warning that has come from the US President. Trump in fact has been echoing India and Afghanistan – the two neighbours of Pakistan – that it is using state sponsor of terrorism to serve its national security purposes.
In his South Asia Policy unveiled in August, Trump had called for tougher measure against Pakistan if it did not cooperate the United States in its fight against terrorism. MORE
“We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond.  Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan.  It has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists,” Trump said in his South Asia Policy speech.
Noting that in the past, Pakistan has been a valued partner, Trump alleged that it has also sheltered the same organizations that try every single day to kill Americans.
“We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting.  But that will have to change, and that will change immediately. No partnership can survive a country’s harboring of militants and terrorists who target U.S. servicemembers and officials.  It is time for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to civilization, order, and to peace,” he said.
In December, the Pentagon warned Pakistan of unilateral action if Islamabad did not act. Before Christmas in a surprise visit to Afghanistan, the Vice President Mike Pence had said that Trump has put Pakistan on notice.
“For too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organizations, but those days are over,” Pence told American troops at the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan where he made an unannounced trip on December 21.
“President Trump has put Pakistan on notice,” Pence said, addressing about 500 troops in a hangar decorated with Christmas decorations and massive armored vehicles. (Pajhwok)