Washington: The Trump administration moved decisively against Pakistan's sponsorship of terror groups, notifying the US Congress that it is putting $255 million in military assistance to the country -from the $1.1 billion in aid authorised for 2016 -in an escrow account, unless Islamabad acts against terrorism.
The move is part of the gradual whittling down of foreign aid to Pakistan for its continued undermining of US efforts in Afghanistan with sponsorship of terror. The latest action came even as Pakistan drummed up protests at home against the hardening US stand, articulated by the US President in a policy speech last week. “We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terror organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond,” Trump had warned, in remarks that implicitly called Pakistan a terrorist state, while pointing out that Islamabad had squandered billions of US dollars in aid. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson had also warned that Pakistan risked the aid.
Instead of being chastened by the warning, the country that hosted Osama bin Laden among scores of well-known terrorists, doubled down in denial, demanding proof of its support for terror groups, many of which operate openly with state support and subsidy. It's National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against Trump's statement, calling it “hostile and threatening” and its National Security Committee pledged a “robust response” to the US charge, even as its leaders and officials reached out to China, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia for support.
But instead of glossing over Pakistan's perfidy and backing down as it has often done in the past, Washington tightened the squeeze on the country whose sponsorship of terrorism is well-chronicled and has been repeatedly voiced by US officials and generals. In fact, there is pressure on the Trump administration from hardliners to cut off all aid and declare it a state sponsor of terrorism, and two lawmakers have actually proposed legislation withdrawing the major non-Nato ally status. Some experts have gone so far as to demand that Pakistani generals, politicians, and officials supporting terror be singled out for visa ban.
