The country’s top military brass on Tuesday rejected ‘conditional aid’ from the US, saying the armed forces would utilise their own resources to fight the menace of terrorism.The military commanders also refused to bow to US pressure for taking back the decision to send back the American military trainers, and allow the dozens of CIA operatives forcibly sent from Pakistan to return to the country.
In a corps commanders’ meeting held at the General Headquarters with Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani in the chair, the top commanders discussed at length the US decision to hold back $800 million in military assistance to Pakistan. The corps commanders expressed concern over the US decision to cut off the assistance, noting that it would not help the anti-terrorism campaign and would cast a negative impact on the Pakistan-US cooperation in the war against terrorism.
“The top military commanders observed that Pakistan had suffered a lot in the war on terror, both in terms of human and material loss, and attaching strings to the assistance to be given to Islamabad would not be a fair treatment to the most important nation in the anti-terrorism global campaign,” a security official privy to top level security consultations said. He said the military commanders observed that the US must keep in mind the huge sacrifices of the Pakistani armed forces before going for any such decision.
Dialogue: “The meeting, however, decided that the issue will be settled through dialogue with the American authorities and all possible efforts will be made for the purpose,” he said. The United States on Monday said it would hold back $800 million – a third of nearly $2 billion in security aid to Pakistan – in a show of displeasure over Pakistan’s removal of US military trainers, limits on visas for US personnel and other bilateral irritants.
Troops: Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, in an interview with a private TV channel said Pakistan could pull back its troops fighting terrorists near the Afghan border if the US cuts its military aid. “If at all things become difficult, we will just get all our forces back,” he said. “If the Americans refuse to give us money, then I think the next step is that the government or the armed forces will be moving from the border areas,” he said. According to an ISPR spokesman, the meeting was briefed about the security situation in the country and the ongoing operations in Kurram and Mohmand agencies. Meanwhile, US Central Command chief General James Mattis called on CJCSC General Khalid Shameem Wynne and also had a meeting with General Kayani but no word about that was released to the media.
Pakistan won’t give in to US bullying
