US not a friend, ties need review: Asif

KARACHI (INP): Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said on Thursday that the United States is not a friend of Pakistan and the country needs to revisit its ties with Washington.

The minister said while speaking to a private TV channel.

The statement comes at a time of heightened tensions between Pakistan and the United States.

It all began with a tweet by US President Donald Trump accusing Pakistan of giving nothing but lies and deceit, thinking US leaders to be fools.

“The US behaviour is neither that of an ally nor of a friend,” Asif said. “It is a friend who always betrays.”

He also ruled out the perception that Pakistan had been diplomatically isolated.

The minister further said that in case of any aggression by the US, Pakistan would respond in a manner that would reflect the nation’s will.

Asked if his recent tweets were in personal capacity or being the foreign minister, he said that he has no individual worth he is just a public representative.

The minister said his tweets represent state’s response as long as he is not asked by the leadership to stop issuing such statements.

Asked about somewhat mild response by Pakistan to the US allegations, he maintained that there is always a difference between individual and institutional reactions, adding that if the Parliament responds to the allegations then it should be “closer to the public sentiment.”

“If the Parliament adopts a resolution on the issue, it should be closer to the public sentiment,” Asif said. “This is not a national issue and a matter of our dignity.”

Responding to a question regarding allegations by US National Security Advisor McMaster, he said, “I met McMaster and he told me that ‘you make promises, but don’t keep them, and our trust level is quite low’.”

“I told him we don’t have any trust level given what you did to us in the past 20-30 years,” the minister said, adding that the meeting, which lasted for less than half an hour, got over in the same discussion.

His statement was a reference to post-Afghan war era, after the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan.

‘Soviet Union was not our enemy’

“Soviet Union was not our enemy. We struggled against it, there was enough money coming in, but it devastated us,” Asif said.