Warning comes after US suspends security aid to Pak for failing to clamp down on terror groups
US President Donald Trump used his first tweet of 2018 to threaten to withhold aid to Pakistan because of what he called its "lies and deceit" over terrorism. Pics/AFP
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The US is keeping "all options" on the table to deal with Pakistan if it does not take decisive action against the Taliban and the Haqqani network and dismantle their safe havens, the White House warned yesterday. The warning came after the US suspended about $2 billion in security aid to Pakistan for failing to clamp down on terror groups. The freezing of all security assistance to Pakistan comes after President Donald Trump in a New Year's Day tweet accused the country of giving nothing to the US, but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for $33 billion aid over the last 15 years.
"The US does have a range of tools that we're looking at beyond just the security assistance issue to deal with Pakistan and to try to convince it to crack down on the Taliban and Haqqani network," a senior Trump administration official told reporters. "Certainly, no one should doubt the US resolve to address this threat and all options I would say will be on the table," said the official on condition of anonymity.
US President Donald Trump
While some policy makers have been asking the White House to revoke the non-NATO ally status of Pakistan and put pressure on the country through multilateral institutions like IMF and UN, Pentagon generals have indicated unilateral actions. However, the official refrained from divulging any of the options that the administration is considering against Pakistan.
USD 2bn
Amount US suspended in security aid to Pakistan
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