The Trump administration yesterday suspended about USD 2 billion in security aid to Pakistan (File Photo)
Highlights
- US Senator Rand Paul proposed a bill to stop US aid to Pakistan
- Senator suggested using the money for infrastructure projects in the US
- The Trump administration has suspended $2 billion in security aid to Pak
President Donald Trump today supported a top American Senator's proposal for a bill to stop the US aid to Pakistan for failing to clamp down on terror groups and divert the money for building roads and bridges in the US.
"Good idea Rand!" Trump tweeted, sharing a video of Republican Senator Rand Paul promoting his bill to stop US aid to Pakistan and use the money towards domestic infrastructure projects.
"I'm introducing a bill to end aid to Pakistan in the coming days. My bill will take the money that would have gone to Pakistan and put it in an infrastructure fund to build roads and bridges here at home," Paul said.
"The US should not give one penny to countries that burn our flag and chant Death to America. Countries like Pakistan that stonewall access to key information in fighting terrorism don't deserve our money," Paul said.
The Trump administration yesterday suspended about USD 2 billion in security aid to Pakistan for failing to clamp down on the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network terror groups and dismantle their safe havens.
The freezing of all security assistance to Pakistan comes after President Trump in a New Year's Day tweet accused the country of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years.
The suspended amount also includes USD 255 million in Foreign Military Funding (FMF) for the fiscal year 2016 as mandated by the Congress.
In addition, the Department of Defense has suspended the entire USD 900 million of the Coalition Support Funds (CSF) money to Pakistan for the fiscal year 2017 and other unspent money from previous fiscal years.
According to a senior Trump administration official, Trump is "frustrated" at Pakistan's inability to take decisive actions against terrorist groups.
"He's talking with leaders of countries in the region. He is monitoring Pakistan and how Pakistan has reacted to our requests," said the official on condition of anonymity.
"It is a matter of frustration (for him). And the kind of information that was coming to him was not satisfying in terms of what we're looking for from Pakistan to support the South Asia strategy," the official said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)