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Published 15 Dec, 2011 10:39pm

FO slams US bill to freeze aid

ISLAMABAD, Dec 15: Reiterating the government’s commitment to review ties with the US, the Foreign Office criticised on Thursday a US bill that proposed freezing of $700 million in aid and said the country’s sovereignty was ‘non-negotiable’.

“We believe that the move in Congress is not based on facts and takes a narrow view of the overall situation. Hence, wrong conclusions are unavoidable,” FO spokesman Abdul Basit said at the weekly media briefing.

The spokesman said coalition forces and the Afghan security apparatus should get their act together and stop blaming Pakistan for their failings.

“I think the real question is as to what is being done on the Afghan side of the border. Pakistan cannot be held responsible for weaknesses and loopholes on the other side of the border. For the policy of hammer and anvil to be effective, it is important that necessary measures are to be taken on the Afghan side.”

Mr Basit said Pakistan would remain firm on the review “irrespective of what happens on this particular front (whether or not US apologises)”.He said the Pakistani government, alongside discussions on reviewing terms of engagement with the US and Nato, was talking to all its friends around the world on this very serious development.

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