The decision to suspend military aid to Pakistan was taken because the US administration was concerned that the Pakistan government may fall and terrorists may take hold of nuclear weapons, US National Security Advisor John Bolton said, adding that the war on terrorism is of the utmost importance to America.
In an address to Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, Bolton said US wanted that Pakistan cooperated fully in the war against terrorism.
"It was before my time, but the Trump administration did not take the decision to cancel a substantial part of the military aid package to Pakistan lightly," he said.
He added that it was done because Pakistan is a nuclear weapons state, and if the government were to fall, terrorist groups could end up acquiring these weapons.
In January 2018, President Trump suspended a substantial part of military aid to Pakistan, saying it was letting its territory used by the Taliban for attacks in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Recently, the Pentagon asked permission from Congress to use funds earmarked for Pakistan for other purposes. This means it is now impossible for Pakistan to receive the funds, which were only to be released if Pakistan acted against the various terrorist groups hiding in its territory.
During his visit to Pakistan last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pressed the new Pakistan Government headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan to put a leash on the terror group using its territory.
