Pentagon canceling $300M in aid to Pakistan, citing record on militants: report

The Defense Department announced it will cancel $300 million in aid to Pakistan that had previously been suspended over Islamabad’s perceived unwillingness to take firm action against militants in the country. 

The cancellation points to further deterioration in the relationship between Washington and Islamabad, according to Reuters. The aid, the outlet noted, were part of a larger suspension of aid announced on Jan. 1 when President Trump, in his first tweet of 2018, said Pakistan was rewarding the U.S. for its aid with “nothing but lies & deceit.” 

{mosads}Pakistan has denied the Trump administration’s charges that it is harboring militants involved in a 17-year war in neighboring Afghanistan.

Defense Secretary James Mattis could have reauthorized the aid this summer, but did not, Reuters reported.

“Due to a lack of Pakistani decisive actions in support of the South Asia Strategy the remaining $300 (million) was reprogrammed,” Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Kone Faulkner told the outlet.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

The decision to cut aid comes amid a transition of power in Pakistan. Former cricket player Imran Khan was elected as prime minister at the end of July before taking office last month.

Last month, the White House announced it would curtail highly valued training and educational programs with the Pakistani military as part of its decision to suspend U.S. security assistance to Pakistan.