ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is ready to face any US action in the wake of President Donald Trump鈥檚 tweet on New Year鈥檚 Day threatening the country, according to the country鈥檚 defense minister and an army spokesman.
Khurram Dastagir said on Thursday there should be 鈥渘o doubt or fear as the defense of Pakistan is in competent and strong hands.鈥� Earlier, army spokesman Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor said Pakistan鈥檚 response will be 鈥渋n line with the wishes of the Pakistani people.鈥�
Trump accused Islamabad of providing a safe haven for terrorists in his tweet. On Monday, he tweeted that the United States had 鈥渇oolishly鈥� given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid in the last 15 years and had gotten nothing in return but 鈥渓ies and deceit.鈥�
Washington confirmed it will withhold $255 million in US military aid to Pakistan this year, a threat first issued last August when Trump announced his Afghan policy, which took aim at Pakistan and demanded an end to Islamabad鈥檚 alleged support for the Afghan Taliban.
Pakistan denies supporting militants, pointing to its own war against extremist groups battling to overthrow the government.
In contrast to recent visits by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis who spoke of 鈥渆ngagement and trust-building during their visits here ... now President Trump and Vice President Pence are talking of threats, insults and 鈥榩utting Pakistan on notice,鈥欌€� Dastagir said. 鈥淲e have to develop our strategy cool-headedly, after analyzing the both sides of US administration.鈥�
On Wednesday night, Ghafoor told local Geo TV that Pakistan wants to continue cooperation with the US but will not 鈥渃ompromise on national interests and prestige.鈥�
鈥淎llies don鈥檛 fight,鈥� he said, adding that 鈥渢he US should realize how Pakistan has been cooperative in the war against terror.鈥�
Pakistan says much of the money it received from the US came as reimbursement in coalition support for services the country provided in the war on terror. It says the US still owes Pakistan $9 billion in the coalition support fund.
The uneasy US-Pakistan relationship has been on a downward spiral since the 2011 US operation that killed Osama bin Laden in his hideout in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad