Pakistan has summoned the US ambassador over President Donald Trump’s remarks in which he accused Islamabad of sheltering terrorists.
According to Pakistani media on Monday, US Ambassador David Hale was summoned to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry to discuss Trump’s remarks.
During the meeting, Pakistan also lodged a strongly-worded protest and asked for clarification of Trump’s comments.
Earlier in the day, the US president threatened to cut off aid to Pakistan, while accusing Islamabad of being a safe haven for terrorists.
“The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools,” said Trump.
The US president accused Pakistan of giving Washington “nothing but lies and deceit.“
Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif responded that his government was preparing a response that “will let the world know the truth.”
“We will respond to President Trump’s tweet shortly inshallah…Will let the world know the truth …difference between facts & fiction,” he said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Abbasi called for a Tuesday cabinet meeting and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trump’s remarks.
Washington has long accused Islamabad of allowing militants to operate relatively freely in Pakistan’s porous border regions to carry out operations in neighboring Afghanistan.