Pakistan angry, demanding 'break' with the US

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khwaja Asif Asif urged the Pakistani government to cancel all visits by US officials to the country and "cut off US air and land communication routes through Pakistan".

US President Donald Trump - Photo: REUTERS

The statement was made by Mr. Asif in a meeting of the Pakistani Parliament on August 30.

Pakistan's parliament later passed a resolution calling US President Donald Trump's accusations that Islamabad was plotting to prolong the Afghan war as threatening and hostile.

Pakistani lawmakers believe their country does not receive the respect it deserves from the United States, according to Reuters news agency.

Meanwhile, the relationship between China and Pakistan is becoming increasingly warm with sweet words.

On August 27, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry canceled a meeting with US acting assistant secretary of state Alice Wells as she prepared to travel to Islamabad to present Washington's new strategy for Afghanistan. Pakistan did not give a reason for the cancellation.

A week earlier, President Trump had announced a new strategy to continue the war in Afghanistan. The US leader, while pledging to increase troops to Afghanistan, criticized Pakistan for not doing enough to help end the war in Afghanistan.

President Trump even accused the Pakistani government of providing safe haven to armed groups fighting against the Afghan government.

US officials believe the Haqqani network, a Pakistan-based group that has been designated a terrorist group by the US since 2012, is behind the attacks in Afghanistan.

Former Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff - Admiral Michael Mullen - in a 2011 congressional hearing, affirmed that this network was essentially an extension of Pakistan's intelligence agency, according to Reuters.

The relationship between Pakistan and the US has turned cold since the US commandos quietly killed terrorist Osama bin Laden right on Pakistani territory without permission.

A debate over Pakistan's ally status and aid cuts to the country has been going on within the US government since last June.

On August 30, standing before the National Assembly, the Pakistani foreign minister spoke frankly about this issue, affirming that Islamabad has never considered the US dollar important.

Mr. Asif emphasized that 70,000 Pakistani civilians have been injured since the country joined the US in fighting terrorism after the September 11, 2001 event. The losses Islamabad suffered amounted to 123 billion USD but in return, it only received disrespect from Washington./.

According to Tuoitre.vn