US approves 785 million dollar aid for Pakistan

The US House of Representatives has passed a 785 million dollar aid package for Pakistan for the fiscal year 2008 despite its reservations over the state of emergency imposed on November 3.

Washington, Dec 19 : The US House of Representatives has passed a 785 million dollar aid package for Pakistan for the fiscal year 2008 despite its reservations over the state of emergency imposed on November 3.

The US Senate is also expected to approve the package, which includes 300 million dollar of military assistance. The other major item on the approved list is that of 350 million dollar for economic support fund.

The package for Pakistan includes 50.9 million dollar of development assistance, 39.8 million dollar for child survival and health, 10.3 million dollar for anti-terrorism activities, 32 million dollar for anti-narcotics efforts, and two million for training and education of military officers in the United States.

This is part of a five-year 3.5 billion dollar package signed in June 2003, when President Pervez Musharraf visited the Camp David presidential resort for a meeting with President George W. Bush.

The bill approved by the House also includes a provision authorising the Bush Administration to provide assistance to build the capacity of Pakistan's other security forces critical to the success of counter-terrorist operations.

These include the Frontier Corps and other internal security forces specifically responsible for counter-terrorism operations.

Forces responsible for border protection and interdiction, including the forces that guard coastal waters, will also benefit from this provision, the Dawn reported.

Several powerful lawmakers had suggested conditioning US aid to the return of democracy in the country. The House and the Senate are separately considering some resolutions on this issue.

One resolution calls for conditioning US military assistance to "demonstrable progress by the government of Pakistan in achieving certain objectives" towards the restoration of full democracy.

But the Bush Administration warned the lawmakers not to attach conditions to US assistance to Pakistan.

ANI