The United States government has quietly decided to release more than $1.6 billion of military and economic aid to Pakistan. According to a news item carried by the US media, the US Congress has cleared most of the money, and it would start moving early next year (2014). The US government has made this announcement when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is about to leave Pakistan for the United States on an official visit. The US State Department has told Congress that the US hadn''t conducted any significant military aid for Pakistan in the past since the 'challenging and rapidly changing period of US-Pakistan relations' in 2011 and 2012. The US State Department now stressed the importance of enhancing Pakistan''s anti-terrorism capabilities through better communications, night vision capabilities, maritime security and precision striking with F16 fighter jets. The official and congressional aides said it planned to restart a wide range of assistance, mostly dedicated to helping Pakistan fight terrorism. The US sees that effort as essential as it withdraws troops from neighbouring Afghanistan next year and tries to leave a stable government behind, they said. They said more aid will be given to Pakistan for helping Pakistan to beef up law enforcement and construct a multibillion-dollar dam. Officials and congressional aides said ties have improved enough to allow the money to flow again. According to this US media report, the aid was suspended due to numerous crises in last four years between Pakistan and the US after secret raid of Nato force in Abbottabad at Osama''s residence in the territory of Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden and deadly US airstrikes against Pakistani soldiers. Pak-US relations have also weathered numerous crises including a months-long legal battle over a CIA contractor Raymond Davis who killed two Pakistanis and deadly US airstrikes against Pakistani soldiers. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has left for the US on an official visit on Saturday. In a statement before departure for the US visit, the Prime Minister said he would discuss enhancing bilateral trade and investment ties and regional matters during meetings with the American authorities. Pakistan and the US recently announced the restart of their 'strategic dialogue' after a long silence relations between the two countries. New Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif will meet with President Barack Obama and discuss about aid and strategy about the war against terrorism. The administration had until the end of September to provide Congress with 'reprogramming' plans at the risk of forfeiting some of the money, which spans federal budgets from 2009-2013. According to this report, the US department told Congress on July 25 that it would spend $295 million to help Pakistan''s military. Twelve days later it announced $386 million more. A pair of notifications Arriving on August 13 and worth $705 million centered on helping Pakistani troops and air forces operating in the militant hotbeds of western Pakistan, and other counterinsurgency efforts. Over three weeks in July and August, the State Department and the US Agency for International Development informed Congress that it planned to restart a wide range of assistance, mostly dedicated to helping Pakistan fight terrorism. The Americans are uncomfortable highlighting the billions provided to a government that is plagued by corruption and perceived as often duplicitous in fighting terrorism. State Department officials said the renewal of aid wasn''t determined by any single event. But they noted a confluence of signs of greater co-operation, from Pakistan''s improved commitment to stamping out explosives manufacturing to its recent counter-terror offensive in areas bordering Afghanistan that have 'served' as a primary sanctuary for the Taliban. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren''t authorised to talk publicly about the aid relationship ahead of Sharif''s visit. They said the money would start reaching Pakistan in 2014 but take several years to disburse fully. According to US media report, in its notifications to Congress, the department described fighting terrorism as a mutual concern but said little about the will of Pakistan''s government, army and intelligence services to crack down on militant groups that often have operated with impunity in Pakistan while wreaking havoc on US and international forces across the border in Afghanistan. Washington has publicly challenged Islamabad to step up its fight against militant groups, Pakistan''s biggest complaint has been the huge surge in drone strikes on terrorist targets, which Pakistanis see as violations of their sovereignty. The number of attacks has dropped dramatically this year. Among the economic aid programs included in the US package, support for the Diamer-Basha dam has the potential for controversy and tremendous benefit. According to the media report, Pakistan''s government has been unable to secure money for the project from the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank is waiting to hear from the United States and India before providing financing to help construction. The dam faces massive funding shortfalls. According to sources, the US government may ask Pakistan government to launch military operation against the Taliban if its proposed talks with Taliban fail. The aid may be linked with military operation, they said.
Posted by Unknown on Sunday, October 20, 2013 - Rating: 4.5
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