US military to cancel $300 mn Pakistani aid

The United States has decided to cancel $300 million in military assistance to Pakistan, citing what it described as Islamabad's failure to take decisive action against militant groups operating in the country.

Pentagon spokesman Lt Col Kone Faulkner said on Saturday that the US military would seek to redirect the money towards other "urgent priorities", the BBC reported.

"We continue to press Pakistan to indiscriminately target all terrorist groups," Faulkner said, adding that the previously suspended assistance would be used elsewhere because of what Washington termed a lack of decisive action by Pakistan against terrorist organisations.

The announcement comes shortly before then-US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's scheduled visit to Pakistan, where he was expected to meet newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan. The timing of the decision added to tensions between the two countries over Pakistan's counterterrorism efforts and US security assistance.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised Pakistan, accusing it of benefiting from billions of dollars in American assistance while failing to adequately address militant activity.

The US State Department has also accused Pakistan of not doing enough against militant networks operating from its territory, including the Haqqani network and the Afghan Taliban.

Washington's latest decision follows a broader reduction in US security assistance to Pakistan. In January, the Trump administration announced that it would cut almost all security aid to the country, citing concerns over Pakistan's counterterrorism record.

The aid dispute reflects a long-running strain in US-Pakistan relations, with Washington demanding stronger action against militant groups while Islamabad has maintained that it has taken significant steps to combat terrorism and has itself suffered heavily from militant violence.