The US administration military has decided to cancel $300 million in aid to Pakistan over what it calls Islamabad's failure to take action against militant groups.
The Pentagon announced in a statement that it has made a final decision to cancel $300 million in aid to Pakistan that had been suspended over Islamabad's perceived failure to take decisive action against militants, in a new blow to deteriorating ties.The Trump administration said earlier that Islamabad is granting safe haven to insurgents who are waging a 17-year-old war in neighboring Afghanistan, a charge Pakistan denies.
Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Kone Faulkner said that the Pentagon aimed to spend the $300 million on "other urgent priorities" if approved by Congress.
He added that another $500 million in CSF was stripped by Congress from Pakistan earlier this year, to bring the total withheld to $800 million.
The disclosure came ahead of an expected visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the top US military officer, General Joseph Dunford, to Islamabad.
US officials had held out the possibility that Pakistan could win back that support if it changed its behavior.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, in particular, had an opportunity to authorize $300 million in CSF funds through this summer if he saw concrete Pakistani actions to go after insurgents, but Mattis chose not to, a US official said.
The Pentagon made similar determinations on CSF in the past but this year's move could get more attention from Islamabad, and its new Prime Minister Imran Khan at a time when its economy is struggling.
Pakistan has received more than $33 billion in US assistance since 2002, including more than $14 billion in CSF, a US Defense Department program to reimburse allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-insurgency operations.
Last August, US President Donald Trump criticized Pakistan for "providing safe havens for terrorists." The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said at the time that "the United States ignored the sacrifices made by Islamabad in the fight against terrorism".
