Pakistan summons US ambassador over Trump tweet

The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale on Monday night and lodged its protest against US President Donald Trump’s tweet wherein he accused Pakistan of “lies and deceit”, the media reported.

The US Embassy confirmed that Ambassador Hale was summoned by the Foreign Office at 9 p.m., The Express Tribune reported citing Express News.

Informed sources said Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua sought an explanation from the ambassador over the US President’s tweet.

Earlier, Trump tweeted that the US ‘foolishly’ gave aid to Pakistan over the course of 15 years but Islamabad remained deceitful by providing safe havens to ‘terrorists’ from Afghanistan.

“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. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!,” Trump said in his tweet.

In May 2016, Pakistan had summoned the US ambassador to express its reservations over a drone strike inside its territory that reportedly killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor.

Trump’s announcement follows an increasingly tense back-and-forth between Washington and Islamabad after the US President unveiled his administration’s National Security Strategy.

He had then reminded Pakistan about its obligation towards helping the US because it got “massive payments” from Washington every year.

“We have made it clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory,” Trump had said. “They have to help.”

Pakistan is also accused by Afghanistan and India of harbouring terrorists ranged against the two countries.

Islamabad routinely denies such charges.