Prez Trump's not doing "a damn thing" for US jibe against Pakistan not justified: PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday reacted sharply to President Donald Trump's latest tirade against Islamabad for not doing "a damn thing" for America in curbing terrorism, saying the US, instead of making Pakistan a "scapegoat" for its failures in Afghanistan, should find out why the Taliban has emerged stronger than before.

Khan's tweets came a day after President Trump defended his administration's decision to stop hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Pakistan for not doing enough to curb terrorism and criticised Islamabad for offering a hideout to Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in the garrison city of Abbottabad.

"Record needs to be put straight on Mr Trump's tirade against Pakistan," Khan, said in a series of tweets defending his country's record in the US-led war on terror.

He said that Pakistan decided to "participate in the US War on Terror" although no Pakistani was involved in the 9/11 attacks.

"Pakistan suffered 75,000 casualties in this war and over USD 123 billion was lost," he said, of which "US 'aid' was a miniscule USD 20bn", Khan said.

"Instead of making Pakistan a scapegoat for their failures, the US should do a serious assessment of why, despite 140,000 Nato troops, plus 250,000 Afghan troops and reportedly USD 1 trillion spent on the war in Afghanistan, the Taliban today are stronger than before," he suggested.

In addition to economic losses, the prime minister highlighted the impact of the US war on Pakistan's tribal areas.

"Our tribal areas were devastated and millions of people were uprooted from their homes. The war drastically impacted the lives of ordinary Pakistanis," he said.

"Pakistan continues to provide free lines of ground and air communications...)," he added.

"Can Mr Trump name another ally that gave such sacrifices?" he asked.

Earlier, Pakistan's Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari attacked President Trump's criticism of Islamabad's dubious role in the war against terrorism.

She said the US President "suffers conveniently from perpetual historic amnesia!"
In reply to another tweet calling out Trump over his remarks, Mazari said: "@realDonaldTrump suffers conveniently from perpetual historic amnesia!"
Referring to bin Laden and his hideout in Abbottabad, Trump in an interview to Fox News on Sunday said, "You know, living think of this living in Pakistan, beautifully in Pakistan in what I guess they considered a nice mansion, I don't know, I've seen nicer."