WASHINGTON: The US military said it has made a final decision to cancel $300 million in aid to Pakistan that had been suspended over Islamabad`s perceived failure to take decisive action against militants.

The so-called Coalition Support Funds (CSF) were part of a broader suspension in aid to Pakistan announced by President Donald Trump at the start of the year, when he had accused Pakistan of rewarding past assistance with `nothing but lies & deceit`. The Trump administration says Islamabad is granting safe haven to insurgents who are waging a war in Afghanistan, a charge Pakistan denies.

US defence secretary Jim Mattis had an opportunity to authorise $300 million in CSF if he saw concrete Pakistaniactions to go after insurgents. Mattis chose not to, a US of ficial told Reuters.

`Due to a lack of Pakistani decisive actions in support of the South Asia Strategy, the remaining $300 [million] was reprogrammed,` said Pentagon spokesman lieutenant colonel Kone Faulkner. He said the Pentagon aimed to spend the $300 million on `other urgent priorities` if approved by Congress.

He said another $500 million in CSF had been stripped from Pakistan by Congress earlier this year, bringing the total withheld fund to $800 million.

The disclosure came ahead of an expected visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the top US military officer, General Joseph Dunford, to Islamabad.-Reuters