WASHINGTON, Jan 05 (TNS): The United States on Friday announced that it is suspending the transfer of military equipment and security-related funds to Pakistan.
“Today we can confirm that we are suspending security assistance only to Pakistan at this time,” State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert announced at a press briefing.
The spokesperson added that Pakistan could receive the suspended funding if it takes decisive actions against Haqqani Network and Afghan Taliban.
Nauert said she could not provide a dollar value for the suspended aid because the administration was still calculating the types of aid affected by the decision.
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The suspension of security assistance to Islamabad comes after Washington accused Pakistan of playing a “double game” on fighting terrorism and warned Islamabad it would have to do more if it wanted to maintain US aid.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Tuesday that Washington would withhold $255 million in assistance to Pakistan.
Haley’s statement followed an angry tweet from Trump that the US had been rewarded with “nothing but lies and deceit” for giving Pakistan billions in aid.
Nauert said the suspension of security assistance was in addition to the earlier announced suspension of $255 million aid.
