Trump’s statement lesson for Pakistani leaders who kept appeasing US: Mazari

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ISLAMABAD: Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari responded to US President Donald Trump’s recent statement that Pakistan does not do “a damn thing” for the US.

In a tweet, Mazari said Trump's statement should be a lesson for those Pakistani leaders who kept appeasing the US especially after September 11. Mazari went on to give examples of the appeasement such as the loss of Pakistani lives in the US war on terror, free space to Raymond Davis and other operatives and illegal killings by drone attacks.

“Also, whether China or Iran, US policies on containment and isolation do not coincide with Pakistan’s strategic interests,” she added.  

In a recent interview, US President Donald Trump alleged that Pakistan does “not do a damn thing” for the United States and accused Islamabad of helping Osama bin Laden hide there.

"You know, living – think of this – living in Pakistan, beautifully in Pakistan in what I guess they considered a nice mansion, I don’t know, I’ve seen nicer," Trump said, referring to bin Laden and his former compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The compound was demolished shortly after United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group forces killed bin Laden there in a late-night helicopter raid in 2011.

"But living in Pakistan right next to the military academy, everybody in Pakistan knew he was there," he added. "And we give Pakistan $1.3 billion a year. ... [bin Laden] lived in Pakistan, we’re supporting Pakistan, we’re giving them $1.3 billion a year -- which we don’t give them anymore, by the way. I ended it because they don’t do anything for us, they don’t do a damn thing for us."

‘Continue to pay in blood’

Former defence minister Khawaja Asif in his response to Trump said, “We continue to play in blood for what we did for USA from Badaber to fighting wars which weren’t ours.”

“Reinvented our religion to suit US interests, destroyed our tolerant ethos, replaced it with bigotry and intolerance. A relationship of betrayals and sanctions,” Asif asserted.