U.S. President George Bush has sanctioned millions of dollars as aid to Pakistan to continue its fight against terrorism, as Pakistans new prime minister, Makhdoom Yousuf Raza Gillani, takes charge of the administration in Islamabad.
Washington, Mar.26 : U.S. President George Bush has sanctioned millions of dollars as aid to Pakistan to continue its fight against terrorism, as Pakistan's new prime minister, Makhdoom Yousuf Raza Gillani, takes charge of the administration in Islamabad.
Bush asked the U-S Congress to release 300 million dollars for security assistance, but White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe revealed that Washington still had concerns about the human rights situation in Pakistan.
During the past seven years, the US has given Pakistan around 7.74 billion dollars in the form of security-related assistance under different heads, like Anti-Terrorism, International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement, Frontier Corps training and equipment, Non-proliferation, Global Training and Equipment, non-proliferation, etc.
Besides this, an amount to the tune of 4.53 billion dollars went towards Pakistan's economic support, said Alan Kronstadt of the Congressional Research Service.
According to him, the bulk of the military-related assistance went to Coalition Support Funds (around 5.56 billion dollars), followed by Foreign Military Financing (1.57 billion dollars).
Besides 267 million dollars were contributed towards International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement, including border security, while monetary aid under the head Counter-narcotics Funds amounted to 131 million dollars, reported the Daily Times.
Sevennty-five million dollars were given for purchasing Frontier Corps training and equipment, and 53 million dollars for buying Global Training and Equipment.
According to the paper, the Exim Bank accounts for about 75 percent of this amount, while the Overseas Private Investment Corporation accounts for the other 25 percent.
ANI