US wants ‘specific’ Pak actions on terror
The White House said on Tuesday that Pakistan will have to take “specific actions” to combat terrorism in return for financial aid from the United States.
The US, in the past week, said it was withholding payment of $255 million in military assistance to Pakistan for the lack of decisive action against terror groups. President Donald Trump followed that up with a threat to stop all aid, stating that the US has paid Pakistan $33 billion over the past 15 years in return for mere “lies & deceit”.
“No more!” he added.
“We know that Pakistan can do more to fight terrorism, and we want them to step up and do that,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Tuesday. “In terms of specific actions, I think you’ll see some more details come out in the next 24 to 48 hours.”
The US’s statements indicate heightened pressure on Pakistan and a gradual alignment with India’s position that its cross-border neighbour is a terror haven.
State department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily briefing on Tuesday that Pakistan needs “to earn, essentially, the money we have provided in the past in foreign military assistance, they need to show that they are sincere in their efforts to crack down on terrorists”.
Later in the day, US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley reiterated her country’s position. “The President is willing to go to great lengths to stop all funding from Pakistan as they continue to harbour and support terrorism,” she said.
It could not be ascertained if the actions demanded by the US would be different from the “very specific requests” given to Pakistan by secretary of state Rex Tillerson in October, or secretary of defence James Mattis in December.
In the absence of more information about the “specific
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