After Trump’s tirade, Pentagon says Pakistan critical partner in US South Asia strategy

In an apparent damage control after US President Donald Trump's accusations that Pakistan 'does not do a damn thing' for the US, the Pentagon has said that Pakistan remains a critical partner to America's South Asia strategy.

During an off-camera news conference, US Colonel Rob Manning, Director of Defense Press Operations, contended that there was no change in US's military-to-military relationship with Pakistan. He said that Pakistan continues to be a part of South Asia strategy, local media reported.

Manning continued, "The US and Pakistan have strong mutual interests in the region. As you know, they are critical (and) vital to the South Asia strategy and including the facilitation of a peace process that would lead to a stable and peaceful Afghanistan."

In his latest tirade, the US president targeted Pakistan in a series of tweets and blamed it for receiving billions of dollars' and 'not doing a damn thing' for the US. Prime Minister Imran Khan slammed Trump and said that instead of making Pakistan ‘a scapegoat for their failures’ in Afghanistan, the US should assess their strategies.

The PM continued in a series of tweets and listed down the sacrifices made by Pakistan after participating in the US War on Terror.

Record needs to be put straight on Mr Trump's tirade against Pakistan: 1. No Pakistani was involved in 9/11 but Pak decided to participate in US War on Terror. 2. Pakistan suffered 75,000 casualties in this war & over $123 bn was lost to economy. US "aid" was a miniscule $20 bn.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 19, 2018

3. Our tribal areas were devastated & millions of ppl uprooted from their homes. The war drastically impacted lives of ordinary Pakistanis. 4. Pak continues to provide free lines of ground & air communications(GLOCs/ALOCs).Can Mr Trump name another ally that gave such sacrifices?

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 19, 2018

Copyright Business Recorder, 2018