Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY
P. 11
WORLD NEWS A11
Friday 5 January 2018
Pakistan talks of ‘response’ to US action after Trump tweet
By ZARAR KHAN President Trump and Vice Pakistan’s army spokesman Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor addresses a news conference in Rawalpindi,
Associated Press President Pence are talking Pakistan. Ghafoor said that Pakistan wants to continue cooperation with the U.S. but will not
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Paki- of threats, insults and ‘put- “compromise on national interests and prestige.”
stan is ready to face any ting Pakistan on notice,’”
U.S. action in the wake of Dastagir said. “We have to (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
President Donald Trump’s develop our strategy cool-
tweet on New Year’s Day headedly, after analyzing on national interests and for services the country pro- relationship has been on a
threatening the country, the both sides of U.S. ad-
the defense minister and ministration.” prestige.” vided in the war on terror. It downward spiral since the
the army spokesman said. Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of
Defense Minister Khurram the lower house of parlia- Pakistan says much of the says the U.S. still owes Paki- 2011 U.S. operation that
Dastagir said Thursday ment, told reporters after a
there should be “no doubt closed-door meeting of the money it received from the stan $9 billion in the coali- killed Osama bin Laden in
or fear as the defense of parliament’s national se-
Pakistan is in competent curity committee that they U.S. came as reimburse- tion support fund. his hideout in the Pakistani
and strong hands.” Ear- discussed the situation fol-
lier, army spokesman Maj. lowing Trump’s tweet and ment in coalition support The uneasy U.S.-Pakistan town of Abbottabad. q
Gen. Asif Ghafoor said that a follow-up meeting
Pakistan’s response will be will decide on the “strat-
in line with the wishes of the egy.”
Pakistani people. “A balanced response is
Trump has accused Is- needed that would pre-
lamabad of providing a serve the country’s dignity
safe haven for terrorists. while engaging with the
On Monday, he tweeted U.S.,” Sadiq said. “We have
that the United States had to look as to why questions
“foolishly” given Pakistan were raised about” Paki-
more than $33 billion in aid stan.
in the last 15 years and had On Wednesday night, Gha-
gotten nothing in return foor told local Geo TV that
but “lies & deceit.” Pakistan wants to continue
Washington confirmed it cooperation with the U.S.
will withhold $255 million but will not “compromise
in U.S. military aid to Paki-
stan this year, a threat first At Press Time:
issued last August when
Trump announced his Af- 18 killed, 260 injured in South Africa train crash
ghan policy, which took
aim at Pakistan and de- By CHRIS TORCHIA burst into flames after the know that the train was go- Shosholoza Meyl train in
manded an end to Islam- Associated Press collision, trapping some ing to hit him. That has cost flames after the collision
abad’s alleged support for JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A passengers in carriages. a lot of lives.” that occurred between
the Afghan Taliban. passenger train carrying Those who were able to Some of the dead were the communities of Hen-
Pakistan denies support- people home after the holi- escape with their luggage badly burned, said nenman and Kroonstad in
ing militants, pointing to its days slammed into a truck hurriedly dragged bags Mthuthuzeli Swartz, acting Free State province. The
own war against extrem- in rural South Africa on from the smoking wreck to CEO of the state-owned crash derailed half a dozen
ist groups battling to over- Thursday, killing at least 18 a nearby road. passenger rail agency. carriages, and power lines
throw the government. people and injuring about “The truck driver was tak- The train with 429 passen- were damaged. A large
In contrast to recent visits 260 others, authorities said. ing chances. He thought gers aboard had been trav- vehicle was upside down
by U.S. Secretary of State Officials said the truck driver that he was going to pass eling from Port Elizabeth to beside a train carriage that
Rex Tillerson and Defense allegedly tried to cross the through,” Transport Minis- the country’s commercial appeared to have partly
Secretary Jim Mattis who tracks just ahead of the on- ter Joe Maswanganyi told hub, Johannesburg. crushed another, smaller
spoke of “engagement coming train, part of which journalists. “Little did he Video showed part of the vehicle.q
and trust-building dur-
ing their visits here ... now
