ISLAMABAD (APP): The Foreign Office (FO) warned on Friday of consequences after the United States (US) announced to suspend security assistance – Coalition Support Funds for counter-terrorism operations – to Pakistan.
In the recent press statement, FO spokesperson told that the US decision will impact the pursuit of common objectives, suggesting that it needed to appreciate Pakistan’s war against terrorism largely from own resources.
The war against terrorism cost Pakistan over USD 120 billion during the past 15 years, it said, stressing that the Pakistan-US cooperation in fighting terrorism had directly served US national security interests in the region apart from the larger interests of the international community.
In the response to US call of blocking funds for security purposes to Pakistan, FO mentioned some of the achievements of counter-terrorism operations owing to US-Pakistan cooperation that included decimation Al-Qaeda and other terror groups, elimination of organized terrorist presence, bilateral border management, repatriation of Afghan Refugees, controlling poppy cultivation as well as drug trafficking and initiating Afghan-led and owned political reconciliation in Afghanistan.
“Through a series of major counter-terrorism operations Pakistan cleared all these areas resulting in elimination of organized terrorist presence leading to significant improvement in security in Pakistan.”
Pakistan asked the US and international community to enhance cooperation after the emergence of new and more deadly groups such as Daesh in Afghanistan. “Arbitrary deadlines, unilateral pronouncements and shifting goalposts are counterproductive in addressing common threats,” the statement suggested.
The US State Department has placed Pakistan on a special watch list for “severe violations of religious freedom” days after the White House said Islamabad would have to do more to combat terrorism to receive US aid. The President of the United States US Donald Trump had said that “no more” aid will be given to Pakistan.
