Islamabad/Washington: Putting up a brave
front after the US withdrew USD 800 million dollar military
aid to it, Pakistan army on Monday claimed it would continue to
conduct operations without American assistance.
"We have no comments" on the move, said a
spokesman for the Pakistani military in response to the
reports, claiming, that US had suspended aid to Pak military.
"We have not received any official intimation or
correspondence on the matter."
The Pakistan Army, "in the past as well as at present,
has conducted successful military operations using its own
resources without any external support whatsoever," the
spokesman said.
Apparently, angered by Pakistan`s reluctance to go
full throttle in the war against terror, White House Chief of
Staff Tom Donilon confirmed that US has decided to with hold a
third of its annual USD 2.7 billion security assistance to
Pakistan, reflecting months of bickering between the allies.
The US officials also indicated that the step was also
in retaliation for Islamabad`s call for a "significant
cutback" of American military trainers on its soil.
The Pakistan army spokesman referred to a statement
issued by General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani on June 9, that US
"military aid should be re-directed towards civilians wherever
it is needed."
Kayani`s extraordinary statement came after a meeting
of the army`s top corps commanders on June 9, where he
recommended to the civilian government that US funds meant for
military assistance should be "diverted towards economic
aid...which can be used for reducing the burden on the common
man".
PTI
