Pakistan’s government held an emergency security meeting on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of “lies and deceit” in a New Year’s Day tweet.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired the National Security Council meeting, attended by the country’s Foreign, Interior and Defense Ministers, along with chiefs of staff of the army, navy and air force.
Meanwhile, around 200 members of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council, a coalition of Islamist parties, demonstrated Tuesday against the US President in Karachi, holding “Dump Trump” placards and burning the American flag.
In his first tweet of 2018, Trump slammed Pakistan, saying the country has given the US nothing but “lies and deceit.”
“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 & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools,” Trump tweeted Monday morning. “They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”
The White House said Monday that it would continue to withhold $255 million in military aid to Pakistan out of frustration over what it has characterized as Islamabad’s obstinance in confronting terrorist networks.
The Pakistani government has yet to issue a formal response, though on Monday, US Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the foreign ministry to meet with senior foreign office officials, a US Embassy spokesman confirmed.
Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif tweeted Monday that Pakistan would respond soon to Trump and “will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction”.
