Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif speaking to Geo News outside Parliament. Photo: Geo News

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday that we have to start surviving without US aid as we cannot afford to hear the same taunts again. 

Speaking to Geo News outside the Parliament, Asif said that the recent visit of a senior US State Department official shows that Washington wants to improve its bilateral relations with Islamabad.

?Pakistan doesn?t desire to deteriorate its relations with the United States but it would neither want to compromise its national sovereignty. Pakistan?s sacrifices should be recognised,? the minister said, adding, ?We are giving our land and air routes without any charge.?

Asif said that US President Donald Trump is wrongly considering the Coalition Support Fund as aid.

?Out of $23 billion we have received only $14 billion,? Asif informed.

Responding to a question, Asif said that the nexus between Israel and India is decades long. 

Trump, in a New Year tweet, accused Pakistan of lies and deceit. "They give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" he said on January 1.

The incident led to heightened tensions between Pakistan and the US.

Later, on January 5, the US announced that it is suspending the transfer of military equipment and security-related funds to Pakistan.

The civilian and military leadership of the country gave a united response to the accusation, dismissing the charges and highlighting Pakistan's role in the war against terrorism.

On January 12, the ISPR said Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa informed US Centcom Commander General Joseph Votel and a US senator in phone calls over the week that Pakistan will continue its "sincere counter-terrorism efforts" even without US financial support in accordance with its own national interest and will remain committed to bringing the effort to its logical conclusion along with other stakeholders.