It is a matter of satisfaction that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has done some plain but tough talking and told Washington that aid cuts in any form will hurt US more than Islamabad which will be forced to buy weapons alternatively from China and Russia if sale of F-16 fighter jets is blocked to maintain its national defensive forces.
The Trump administration by maintaining threatening posture towards Islamabad is only helping Pakistan to balance its ties with Washington and tilt bit more towards Beijing and Moscow which are obviously more friendly and trustworthy and in the process achieve somewhat elusive self-reliance which is the dire need of the hour, to say the least.
US President’s claim of doling out billions of dollars in military aid has already been put in historical perspective by our former Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan who has said that the Washington aid was not more than peanuts. As a matter of record, Washington ‘s civilian and military assistance was already declining considerably gradually and was even less than one billion dollars in 2016 down from a recent peak of 3.5 billion dollars in 2011.
One can only appreciate the bold and courageous stand taken by the prime minister, fully backed by the political and military leadership, thus truly representing the sentiments of entire Pakistani nation. This upright stance must be maintained and upheld from now onwards, please. Thanks.
MUHAMMAD MURTAZA ZEESHAN
Lahore
