Japan may cut aid to emergency-hit Pakistan

Japan has warned Pakistan that it may cut aid to the latter following the proclamation of an emergency by the Musharraf regime and detainment of a key opposition leader.

Tokyo, Nov 14 : Japan has warned Pakistan that it may cut aid to the latter following the proclamation of an emergency by the Musharraf regime and detainment of a key opposition leader.

When asked whether Japan will cut its current aid to Pakistan, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said: "We'll consider every option."

"I have concerns about the current situation in Pakistan. We've been considering increasing official development aid to Pakistan as the country was considered to be in the democratisation process and was making efforts in the war on terror," Komura told reporters.

"But we may have to examine carefully whether to increase the amount of aid at this point while closely watching the democratisation process in the country," he said.

Japan used to give hundreds of millions of dollars a year to Pakistan in low-interest loans and grants, The News reported.

ANI