Trump’s statement detrimental to longstanding ties: cabinet

Says Pakistan’s achievements in curbing terror acknowledged throughout the world

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Wednesday unanimously endorsed the stance taken by the National Security Committee (NSC), which a day earlier had expressed ‘deep disappointment over recent statements of the American leadership’.

In a Twitter post on the first day of the New Year, the US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of ‘lying and deceit’ and providing safe havens to terrorists despite taking over $33billion in aid.

In the NSC meeting called in the wake of the allegation, the country’s civil and military leadership had expressed ‘disappointment’ over statement but said the country would not act in haste.



"American statements are detrimental to the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and the USA, a relationship that has developed over generations. Pakistan has rendered huge sacrifices, both in terms of loss of precious human lives and substantial damage to the economy.

“Achievements made by Pakistan in curbing the menace of terrorism have been acknowledged throughout the world, reiterated the cabinet," said a statement issued by the PM Office after the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif briefed the cabinet regarding the background of the recent statements of the US leadership and the discussion held at the NSC’s 17th meeting held on Tuesday.



The cabinet considered a proposal for granting extension in the Proof of Registration (POR) cards and tripartite agreement among Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) for stay of Afghan refugees beyond Dec 31, 2017.

After detailed discussion, the cabinet agreed to grant 30-day extension in the POR and also decided that the issue of early repatriation of the refugees shall be raised with the UNHCR and world community.

Pakistan’s economy has carried the burden of hosting Afghan refugees since long and in the present circumstances it cannot sustain it further, the cabinet noted. It also accorded approval for publication of Block Level Provisional results of population census 2017.



The cabinet also approved to place ‘Institute for Arts and Culture Bill, 2017’ before parliament. It also approved signing of MoU on bilateral consultations between the ministries of foreign affairs of the Pakistan and the Portuguese Republic and signing of a Memorandum of Intent  between Pakistan Stone Development Company and Confindustria Marmomacchine of Italy for cooperation in stone sector.

The cabinet also gave the nod to signing of a MoU between ministries of defence of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Pakistan. It also ratified agreement on military, technical, science and education cooperation between Pakistan and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

It approved execution of gas development schemes during the present government and ratified recommendations of Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) in respect of Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (Amendment) Bill, 2017.



Permission was also granted for transit of 01x40 feet container STC containing 51 package of spare parts for vehicles of United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) from Karachi to Kabul, the official statement added.

It also accorded approval in the light of the Drug Pricing Policy 2015 to maximum retail prices (MRPs) of additional pack sizes of already registered drugs, increase in MRPs of drugs under para 8 of the Drug Pricing Policy and threshold limits of lower priced drugs under para 11 of the policy.