Here’s what’s happening across the border: US senator Rand Paul insists no aid to Pakistan until Asia Bibi is freed, Pak Hindu senator figures in BBC 100 Women list.
Trump’s aid cut justification sparks bitter war on Twitter
US President Donald Trump’s justification of cutting aid to Pakistan has sparked a war of words on Twitter with Prime Minister Imran Khan claiming that no Pakistanis were involved in the 9/11 incident.
In an interview to Fox News Sunday, Trump had accused Pakistan of giving shelter to 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden, who was later gunned down by US forces.
Khan Monday hit back, tweeting that the US aid of worth $20 billion was nothing compared to the $123 billion which Pakistan incurred along with 75,000 lives lost during its participation 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
Khan also challenged Trump to name any other “ally” that contributed as much as Pakistan did in providing “free lines of ground and air communication” to the US.
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
The Pakistan PM hinted that the US failed miserably in countering Taliban’s influence in Afghanistan despite spending $1 trillion along with deploying 1.4 lakh NATO troops and 2.5 lakh Afghani security forces.
Instead of making Pakistan a scapegoat for their failures, the US should do a serious assessment of why, despite 140000 NATO troops plus 250,000 Afghan troops & reportedly $1 trillion spent on war in Afghanistan, the Taliban today are stronger than before.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 19, 2018
Trump replied by saying that the US should have captured bin Laden long before it actually killed him. “We paid Pakistan billions of dollars and they never told us he (Osama) was living there,” he tweeted.
Of course we should have captured Osama Bin Laden long before we did. I pointed him out in my book just BEFORE the attack on the World Trade Center. President Clinton famously missed his shot. We paid Pakistan Billions of Dollars & they never told us he was living there. Fools!..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2018
….We no longer pay Pakistan the $Billions because they would take our money and do nothing for us, Bin Laden being a prime example, Afghanistan being another. They were just one of many countries that take from the United States without giving anything in return. That’s ENDING!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2018
But, Khan wasn’t over yet. He said after all the suffering Pakistan was subjected to, he “will do what is best for our people & our interests”.
Trump’s false assertions add insult to the injury Pak has suffered in US WoT in terms of lives lost & destabilised & economic costs. He needs to be informed abt historical facts. Pak has suffered enough fighting US's war. Now we will do what is best for our people & our interests
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 19, 2018
Pakistan human rights minister Shireen Mazari also responded to Trump’s tweets. “…whether China or Iran, US policies of containment & isolation do not coincide with Pak strategic interests,” she said.
The illegal killings by drone attacks; the list is endless but once again history shows appeasement does not work. Also, whether China or Iran, US policies of containment & isolation do not coincide with Pak strategic interests. https://t.co/tFBe9BentG
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 19, 2018
Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said it was shameful to hear Trump give these remarks, especially when it was “safer today” because of Pakistan’ efforts.
Pakistan has paid with blood in the war on terror. We lost 75000 people and our economy lost an estimated $123 billion. The United States is safer today because of our contributions and its a shame to hear statements that don’t take those facts into account.
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) November 19, 2018
Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir thanked PM Imran Khan for “uniting our Govt and opposition” on this matter and challenged Trump to respond to Khan’s reply.
Mr @realDonaldTrump here is the response from Prime Minister of Pakistan do you have any answer?Thank you for uniting our Govt and opposition on this issue https://t.co/jTieqk3f4f
— Hamid Mir (@HamidMirPAK) November 19, 2018
No aid to Pakistan until Asia Bibi is freed, says US senator
Kentucky senator Rand Paul Monday argued that Pakistan should not get a single penny of US aid until Asia Bibi is freed.
In an article he wrote for controversial news portal Breitbart News, Paul stressed that he has “made it a personal mission” to stop the “United States from funding or being allied with places that persecute Christians”.
Paul mentioned that during his time in the US Congress, he has introduced a legislation that could allow the US to withhold aid to Pakistan and pressure them to “release Asia Bibi” and also demand them to not persecute religious minorities.
“Until Asia Bibi is freed, Pakistan should not receive a penny of US aid! Not one penny should go to any nation that persecutes or kills Christians,” he said.
“Asia Bibi deserves asylum in the United States. She deserves real freedom. And Americans deserve to know their tax dollars aren’t being sent to subsidise a country’s war on Christianity,” Paul added.
Pak Hindu senator on BBC’s list of 100 influential women
The BBC 100 Women list 2018 describes Krishna Kumari as an active “campaigner for women’s rights”. Krishna is the first Thari Hindu woman to be elected as senator. The 39-year-old belongs to the Kohli community from the remote village of Dhana Gam in Nagarparkar and since her election in March she has worked for the rights of bonded labourers.
As a child, Krishna herself was forced to work as a bonded labourer in Umerkot for three years, a reason that motivated her to work for “the rights of the oppressed people, especially for the empowerment of women, their health and education”.