LAHORE: Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir on Wednesday asserted that actions against Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed were not due to pressure from the United States but were part of the ongoing Operation Raddul Fasaad.
Responding to rumours that Pakistan launched crackdown against JuD under the pressure from US, Dastagir, in an interview with BBC Urdu, said that although a number of organisations have been banned internationally, Pakistan would assess the situation and take steps accordingly.
“It is not that we will take up arms against our own country — that time has passed,” Dastagir said during the interview.
“We will now make calculated decisions,” he added.
Dastagir’s statements comes following US’ decision to cut aid to Pakistan.
In his early-morning New Year’s Day tweet, said: “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools.”
“They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”
