Trump to hold Pak aid linked to action against terrorism

Bloomberg

The US will continue to withhold $255 million in military aid to Pakistan as the White House reviews the nation’s ‘level of cooperation’ in fighting terrorism, a National Security Council spokesperson said. The announcement came just hours after Trump in a tweet said the US has ‘foolishly’ given more than $33 billion in aid to the country and gotten only ‘lies and deceit’ in return.
Trump has ‘made it clear’ that he expects Pakistan to take strong action to fight terrorists and extremism, the spokesperson said. The country’s efforts against terrorism ‘will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance,’ the spokesperson said.
Following Trump’s tweet, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi called a cabinet meeting and a meeting of the high-level National Security Committee, which includes top civil and military leadership, on Wednesday, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
The Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan has also prohibited a group led by Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, from collecting donations, Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported citing a notification from the regulator. Saeed was recently released from house arrest in Lahore, prompting a condemnation from the US State Department, which
has labeled him a ‘specially designated global terrorist.’
Pakistan has long posed contradictions for the US: it’s a partner in the fight against terrorism yet is also the place where Osama bin Laden hid out for years before being killed in a nighttime raid by US Navy Seals. Since 2015, the US has denied Pakistan $650 million in Coalition Support Fund reimbursements that could be released only if the US military certified the country is making acceptable progress against the Haqqani network, which is affiliated with the Taliban.
The Pentagon also continues to review whether $400 million that Congress approved for fiscal year 2017, pending a certification, can be released. The fiscal 2018 defense policy bill earmarks an additional $350 million, which can’t be released until there is a Pentagon certification as well.
Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, praised the move in a tweet: “I’ve been fighting to end aid to Pakistan for years and will again lead the charge in the Senate. Let’s make this happen.”