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Pakistan regrets U.S. "lack of appreciation" for Pakistan's anti-terror role

Xinhua, May 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

A top Pakistani foreign affairs adviser on Monday regretted that the United States is not duly appreciating the country's struggle against the militants.

Syed Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, conveyed the complaint to a two-member Professional Staff delegation of the House Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. Congress in Islamabad.

The remarks came just days after the U.S. halted financial aid to Pakistan for procurement of its eight F-16 fighter jets.

"During the meeting, a range of important issues were discussed and the Special Assistance particularly highlighted the fact that there was lack of sufficient appreciation for Pakistan's whole-hearted efforts it was undertaking jointly with the U.S. administration, in countering the threat posed by terrorism," the foreign ministry said.

Topics concerning reduction in U.S. defence and civilian assistance to Pakistan and Congressional hold on some already approved funds were also deliberated upon, a statement said.

Reduction of the U.S. assistance was discussed after Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee stopped aid to Pakistan to get eight fighter aircraft.

The Obama administration planned to arrange 700 million U.S. dollars for Pakistan to purchase eight F-16 from the United States, the notification for which was made by the State Department to the U.S. Congress in late 2015.

"The government and people of Pakistan also desired that Pakistan's sincere efforts and sacrifices in confronting the serious security threats, in an increasingly complex regional situation, should be appreciated, at all levels," Fatemi told the U.S. lawmakers.

The U.S. delegation did not directly mention halt to Pakistan aid but "reiterated that the efforts by the U.S. to strengthen Pakistan's capacity in its counter-terrorism efforts, through continued provision of military equipment and assistance with approval of the U.S. Congress, was a testimony to the strength of Pakistan-U.S. bilateral relations." Endit