Donald Trump's Decision to Cut Pak Aid 'Vindicates Our Stand', Says India

New Delhi: India has said that US President Donald Trump's decision to cut aid to Pakistan has “vindicated India’s stand on terrorism”.

“The decision of the Trump administration has abundantly vindicated India's stand as far as terror and Pakistan's role in perpetrating terror is concerned," Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Singh said countries who were earlier denying the role of Pakistan in terror activities on Indian soil, are also supporting India's viewpoint. "They are also understanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reiteration that the war against terrorism has to be fought collectively. There can't be good terror or bad terror, there can't be a distinction in terrorism happening, terrorism is terrorism," he added.

In a strongly worded message in his first tweet of the year, Trump on Monday said that US has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, but in return, Pakistan has given nothing but lies and deceit. “They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!” he wrote.

Hours later, the US suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House confirmed, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad's response to terrorism on its soil.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif lashed out at Trump saying they have already refused “to do more” for the US.

A Geo News report has quoted Asif as saying, “We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trump’s ‘no more’ does not hold any importance.”

Asif retaliated to Trump’s claim and said that his “no more” claim stands no ground as all aids provided by the US has been accounted for. “Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received,” he said in a statement.

The relations between the US and Pakistan, long vital for both, have chilled steadily since Trump declared that Pakistan "gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror."