Trump blocking aid to Pakistan not stopping terrorism, US Senate told

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has failed to check terrorism despite pressure from the United States and other world organisations. The statement comes a day after the US decided to end all financial aid to Pakistan.
Trump administration’s decision to block $2-billion military aid to Pakistan has so far failed to achieve its objective – “forcing Islamabad to change its policies,” said a report in the Dawn, Pakistan’s leading daily.
“This administration has also rightly drawn a clear line with Pakistan, suspending security assistance of over a billion as long as Islamabad continues to shelter Haqqani, and other terror groups that target innocent civilians, as well as US and allied forces,” said Republican Senator Robert Corker.
The US further added that Pakistan hasn’t shown any change that would be considered “final and irrevocable.”
The Trump administration imposed new sanctions against three Pakistanis, designating them as ‘global terrorists’ for their links to terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Taliban.
The three include Rahman Zeb Faqir Muhammad, Hizb Ullah Astam Khan and Dilawar Khan Nadir Khan.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s former president Hamid Karzai accused Pakistan of harbouring Taliban militants. He called on the United States to sanction Pakistani military and intelligence officials.
“We hope the US will now act in Pakistan,” he said. “Act in Pakistan doesn’t mean that the Pakistan people should be hurt or that war should be launched in Pakistan,” he added.
In another major blow to Islamabad, a bill seeking to end all economic aid to Pakistan was moved by the United States on Tuesday. The development came a month after the Trump administration suspended it’s $255-billion military aid to the country.
The move was initiated since the US is unhappy with Pakistan’s approach to terrorists on home soil.