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Khawaja Asif accuses Trump of speaking India's language; Ready to respond to any US action, says Pak army

Pakistan shows brave face as US toughens line.

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Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif today alleged that US President Donald Trump's recent remarks against his country showed that he was "talking in the language of India".

Briefing the Parliamentary Committee on National Security about tension between Pakistan and the US following Trump's remarks, Asif said the US is making Islamabad a scapegoat for its failure in Afghanistan. Trump had accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for USD 33 billion aid.

Sources privy to the discussion in the meeting said Asif told lawmakers, "Trump was speaking in the language of India." "The statements from the US leaders are contrary to the facts," Asif said. National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who heads the body, told the media after the meeting that there should be "balanced response" to the statements from the US. "The country's dignity should be maintained, while engaging with the US," he said.

He said the committee has decided to reconvene next week for a briefing by security agencies. The closed-door meeting came at the heels of a high-level National Security Committee meet and the cabinet meeting earlier this week. Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir was also present in the meeting. Dastagir said when US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defence Secretary James Mattis visited Pakistan, they presented their stance in accordance with diplomatic norms and the talks were not threatening and insulting, Geo TV reported. "(But) this was present in Trump's tweet and before that when US Vice President Mike Pence made the 'put Pakistan on notice' statement from Afghanistan," the defence minister said, referring to the threatening tone of the US leaders.

"We need to have a holistic review of the entire situation. We are conducting a complete analysis and coolly formulating our response," he said, adding that there should not be any doubts when it comes to the defence of Pakistan. "The question is will America create a situation which will harm Pakistan...We are ready for this but still want to engage the US," he shared. Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and NSA Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Janjua also briefed the participants.

Amidst reports that the Trump administration is set to announce more drastic steps to punish Islamabad for its support to terror groups, the Pakistan Army has said the country would respond to any US action in line with the aspirations of the people . The statement by the military spokesman came in the backdrop of the White House's announcement that the US would announce specific measures against Pakistan in the next 24 to 48 hours after President Donald Trump's stinging New Year tweet. The US yesterday announced that it is withholding its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan.

"In case of [a] US action against Pakistan, it will be responded to [in line with] the aspirations of the people of Pakistan," the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor said in a brief statement. In a terse Twitter post on January 1, President Trump had accused Pakistan of "lying and deceit" and providing safe havens to terrorists despite getting over USD 33 billion in aid over 15 years.

After Trump's statement, Pakistan had called a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Tuesday which expressed "disappointment" over the statement, but said the country would not act in haste. It is not clear whether the Pakistan Army issued the statement in anticipation of some possible unilateral action against Pakistan, The Express Tribune reported.

Responding to the US allegations, Maj Gen Ghafoor, the military's media wing chief, said Pakistan had taken action against the dreaded Haqqani network. "Effects of action against the Haqqani network will be visible in due time," he said. Speaking to a private news channel, he said Pakistani nation's collective response to the Trump's tweet was a positive sign. He noted that Pakistan and the US were still allies, and the relationship between the two countries had gone through ups and downs. "We are allies and a war cannot be fought with allies," he said.

"There are several occasions where Pakistan has sided with the US. At one time Pakistan had the option to become the ally of Russia but it opted to join hands with the US instead." However, he said, in case the US took action against Pakistan, it would be responded to in accordance with the aspirations of the Pakistani people. "The Coalition Support Fund (CSF) was meant for the war in Afghanistan. Pakistan and the United States are allies and they need to work together," he added. The US has been accusing Pakistan of supporting the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network, who are attacking American forces in the war-torn country. Pakistan has always dismissed the allegations. 

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