— Mazari says Pakistan has incurred losses due to US’s military presence
— Khawaja Asif says relationship between Pak and US is of ‘betrayals and sanctions’
ISLAMABAD: Human Rights Minister of Pakistan Shireen Mazari on Monday responded to US President Donald Trump’s remarks that “Pakistan doesn’t do a thing for the US”, and asserted that this is a lesson for Pakistani leaders who kept on appeasing America after the September 11 attacks.
She said that Trump’s tirade against Pakistan did not take into account the loss of Pakistani lives in the War of Terror and the free space given to elements like Raymond Davis who was charged with homicide in Pakistan.
Trump’s tirade against Pak & his claim that that Pak does not do “a damn thing” for the US shd be a lesson for those Pak ldrs who kept appeasing the US esp after 9/11! The renditions; the loss of Pak lives in US WoT; the free space for Raymond Davis & other operatives; etc etc
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 19, 2018
“The illegal killings by drone attacks; the list [of atrocities] is endless but once again history shows appeasement does not work. Also, whether China or Iran, US policies of containment and isolation do not coincide with Pakistan’s strategic interests,” She added.
The illegal killings by drone attacks; the list is endless but once again history shows appeasement does not work. Also, whether China or Iran, US policies of containment & isolation do not coincide with Pak strategic interests. https://t.co/tFBe9BentG
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 19, 2018
Former foreign minister Khawaja Asif also condemned the US president’s remarks, writing that the relationship between Pakistan and America is one of “betrayals and sanctions”.
He tweeted: “We continue to pay in blood for what we did for the USA from Beda Ber to fighting wars which weren’t ours. [We] reinvented our religion to suit US interests, destroyed our tolerant ethos and replaced it with bigotry and intolerance.”
We continue to pay in blood for what we did for USA from Beda Ber to fighting wars wich weren’t ours.Reinveted our religion to suit US interests,destroyed our tolerant ethos,replaced it with bigotry & intolerance.A relationship of betrayals & sanctions https://t.co/3mDnJZ6GHu
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) November 18, 2018
On Sunday, Trump had slammed Pakistan “for doing nothing” for his country, claiming that Pakistan helped shelter former al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump had defended his administration’s decision to pull back hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Pakistan.
He had said, “You know, living – think of this – living in Pakistan, beautifully in Pakistan in what I guess they considered a nice mansion, I don’t know, I’ve seen nicer,” referring to bin Laden and his former compound in Abbottabad.
In 2011, the compound was destroyed shortly after the US Naval Special Warfare Development Group forces, in a helicopter raid, killed bin Laden.
“But living in Pakistan right next to the military academy, everybody in Pakistan knew he was there,” he added. “And we give Pakistan $1.3 billion a year . … [bin Laden] lived in Pakistan, we’re supporting Pakistan, we’re giving them $1.3 billion a year –which we don’t give them any more, by the way, I ended it because they don’t do anything for us, they don’t do a damn thing for us.”
It is pertinent to mention that the US cancelled $300 million in aid to Pakistan this year for its ‘lack of’ decisive action against militant groups.
The cancellation of aid is part of President Trump’s New Year tweet in which he launched a scathing criticism against Pakistan for betraying the US.
“The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!,” Trump tweeted on New Year’s Day.