Pakistan can live without US aid, want balanced ties first: FM Khawaja Asif

Pakistan is trying to maintain a balance in its relationship with the US and the government has made it clear that Islamabad can live without Washington's aid but will not compromise on national integrity, Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said.

Addressing the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Asif said that relations with Washington were not normal following tirades by US President Donald Trump, the News International reported on Thursday.

He also said that Pakistan could no more host millions of Afghan refugees. The minister stressed that Pakistan had been repeatedly seeking assistance for repatriation of Afghan refugees and to work on border management with Afghanistan.

The Foreign Minister told the meeting that continuous jibes at Pakistan were "all accusations to put the responsibility of the US failures in Afghanistan on Pakistan".

"We have to stand up to those who accuse us of harbouring terrorists," he said.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Senator Nuzhat Sadiq and was attended among others by Senators Farhatullah Babar, Ayesha Raza Farooq, Karim Ahmed Khawaja, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Daud Khan Achakzai and Haji Moin Khan Afridi among others.