Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan hit out at US President Donald Trump, terming him “ignorant and ungrateful” as the political leader reacted to Trump’s anti-Pakistan remarks.
Tweeting out his reaction, Imran said he had opposed Pakistan becoming part of the US-led war on terror from the start. “Now, after suffering 70k dead, over $100 bn loss to economy, when we had nothing to do with 9/11, constant “do more” US taunts & after nation has been humiliated by Trump, GoP saying the same,” he wrote.
“Lesson to be learnt by us is never to be used by others for short term paltry financial benefits ever again,” he continued, adding, “Our society became radicalised and polarised as we helped CIA create jihadi groups; then, a decade later, we tried to eliminate them as terrorists on US orders.”
“And now Pakistan being blamed for US failures in Afghanistan by an ignorant and ungrateful Donald Trump,” Imran tweeted.
Pakistan has now suffered the ultimate insult: being made scapegoat for US failure in Afghanistan, the PTI chief added.
Trump, in his New Year’s day tweet, had accused Pakistan of harbouring terrorists and threatened to cut off its aid.
“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,” Trump had said. “They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”
The tweet drew a strong reaction from Pakistan, which summoned US ambassador David Hale in protest. Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan has already refused to ‘do more’ for the United States. Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir said Pakistan is fully capable of defending itself.
Various other political leaders also registered strong protest over Trump’s remarks.
A National Security Committee (NSC) meeting was held on Tuesday, where the country’s civilian and military leadership, chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, reiterated that the country remains undeterred in its resolve to establish peace in Pakistan and has fought the war on terror with unflinching resolve.
