Ousted Pak PM Nawaz Sharif Calls Trump’s Remarks ‘Non-Serious’

Donald Trump on 1 January accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but “lies and deceit” in return for aid.

File [photo of Pakistan’s ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

(Photo: AP)

Pakistan's ruling party PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday, 3 December described US President Donald Trump's remarks against Islamabad as "non-serious" and said a head of state should be mindful of the diplomatic rules of engagement, amidst escalating war of words between the two countries.

A head of state should remember the rules of engagement while addressing a fellow state. 

Nawaz Sharif

In a scathing attack, Trump on Monday accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for USD 33 billion aid and said Islamabad has provided "safe haven" to terrorists.

Commenting on Trump's remarks, Sharif said the US had no right to taunt Pakistan for providing support in lieu of services as coalition partner because the money released by Washington was not "aid".

“A coalition fund should not be called aid. We do not even need such a fund and our support should not be demanded in return,” he said.

Sharif asked Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to formulate a plan so that Pakistan should never need foreign aid.

He also took a swipe at former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for giving support what he termed as selling the honour of the country cheaply.

If a democratic government was in place in Pakistan instead of a dictatorship in 2002, then it would never have sold its expertise to the US. It would neither have sold our expertise, nor our self-respect.

Nawaz Sharif

Talking about domestic issues, he said certain quarters were making efforts to pave way for the winning of election by blued-eyed politicians.

"They are trying to shift the public's views... Block the way for a certain political party, and pave the way for the darling," he said.

(This copy has been edited for length.)