US blaming Pakistan for its own failures in Afghanistan: Khurram Dastagir

Defence minister says Pakistan doesn't need money in return but what it does want is a recognition of its sacrifices

The United States is trying to put the blame on Pakistan of a war it couldn't win despite injecting trillions of dollars and getting hundreds of its troops killed, Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan has said.

The statement came a day after Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Chief Mike Pompeo doubled down on the claims made by US President Donald Trump a week ago relating to the presence of terrorists safe havens in Pakistan, saying they would “protect” the US if Pakistan failed to address the issue.

"The US is losing its war in Afghanistan and the same was admitted by its defence minister, " Dastagir said while addressing a ceremony in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Pakistan, he continued, has lost thousands of lives. "We don't need money in return but what we do want is recognition of our sacrifices."



The minister pointed out that the US could only gain control over 40% of Afghanistan despite investing both money and men.

Washington, instead of assisting Islamabad in fencing the Afghan border, has resorted to levelling allegations against Pakistan. "Have we asked to be paid for providing the land and air routes or the intelligence assistance," Dastagir asked. "Is there any replacement for the precious human lives lost?"

Pakistan's armed forces, he added, initiated several military operations and eliminated safe havens of terrorists.

The presence of militant hideouts in 43% area of Afghanistan suggests that the US, Nato and Afghan security forces do what they ask Pakistan to do, to eliminate terrorism from its soil.

Recently, the Trump's statement drew a strong reaction from Pakistan, which called upon the country to recognise its sacrifices in the war on terror and refrain from accusing Islamabad of "lying and deceit".