US assistance no more needed, says Miftah

ISLAMABAD: There is no truth at all in President Trump’s claim that the US provided $33 billion aid to Pakistan in the last 15 years, Dr Miftah Ismail, Adviser to PM on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, told The News.

“President Trump often says things which turn out to be false,” argues the adviser while responding to his Monday morning tweet. Miftah said after 9/11, Pakistan emerged as the frontline state against terrorism to ensure global peace and faced a colossal damage of over $100 billion to its economy other than the loss of over 50,000 precious lives of troops, policemen and officials of other security agencies and civilians.

About the impact of US threat, Miftah said Pakistan’s economic health was safe and bright on account of CPEC related activities. He said Islamabad no more sought the US financial assistance and there was no truth in President Trump’s claim of giving Pakistan $33 billion aid in the last 15 years.

He said out of $33 billion as claimed by Trump, more than half of the amount was related to the Coalition Support Program (CSP) and Pakistan got re-imbursement of $14 billion against the expenses of $21 billion incurred on the war, meaning that Washington owed $7 billion more to Pakistan. “In addition, Pakistan has provided many services to the US including Pakistan’s military bases, related infrastructure and roads for supply of ammunition and food for Nato forces,” he said.

“Our forces have flushed terrorists out of Pakistan and but the US has failed to give tough time to the Taliban in Afghanistan. The US top man is now trying to shift responsibility to Pakistan for its failure in Afghanistan. And more importantly to mention that there are no safe havens of terrorists in Pakistan.”

He said the government was pooling finances from indigenous resources for Zarb-e-Azb and Raddul Fassad operations and vowed that Pakistan will continue the war against terrorists at all costs.