The United States announced a $2 billion military aid package for Pakistan on the final day of the latest US-Pakistan strategic dialogue.

The aid pledge, announced by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, provides a long-term US security commitment along the lines of the five-year, $7.5 billion civilian aid package approved by Congress last year. Unlike previous military aid approved on a yearly basis, this is a five-year package. The aid will pay for equipment needed in counter-insurgency and counter-terror operations, among other things.

Secretary Clinton also once again urged Pakistan to reform its tax system to yield more funds for flood relief and other needs from its wealthy.

“Now, reforming Pakistan’s tax system is one area in which tough decisions will have to be made, because it will serve a broad, double purpose,” she said.

“A broader tax base will mean more funding for roads, bridges, power plants, and airports, all essential elements of a growing economy.” Expanding the tax base, she added, would demonstrate to the international community that all segments of Pakistani society were willing to do their own part to rebuild their own country.

The proposed military aid package is subject to congressional approval but Secretary Clinton said the Obama administration would work with Congress for the $2 billion military aid package.

The package covers a five-year period – from 2012 to 2016. Pakistan is likely to get $300 billion in fiscal 2010-11, which began on Oct 1. It will receive $350 million in the next fiscal year.

The yearly pledges constitute an increase in the roughly $1.5 billion in military aid approved in 2005, which expired this year.

US military and civilian funding for Pakistan totalled more than $3.5 billion over the last year, according to congressional estimates.

Pakistan also receives hundreds of millions of dollars a year from the so-called Coalition Support Fund, which reimburse Pakistan for its military operations against militants, could face future cuts.

The United States, however, has not made any reimbursement to Pakistan since May 27; the Pentagon is reviewing the requests. The US reimbursed Pakistan $1.3 billion between January and May for Pakistani operations conducted in 2008 and 2009, but has not paid for operations in 2010. Announcing the military aid package, Secretary Clinton declared that the United States had full confidence in Pakistan’s commitment to the anti-terrorist fight.

“I want to say publicly what many of us have said privately: the United States has no stronger partner when it comes to counter-terrorism efforts against the extremists who threaten us both than Pakistan,” she said. “We recognise and appreciate the sacrifice and service that the men and women, particularly the soldiers of the military in Pakistan, have made in order to restore order and go after those who threaten the very institutions of the state of Pakistan.”

In a joint media appearance before the plenary meeting of the three-day US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi expressed irritation over US insinuations that Pakistan’s effort against extremism was lacking.

Pakistan, he said, had sustained 30,000 civilian deaths in recent years in a “daily fare of suicide bombings” and other attacks. Seven-thousand Pakistani soldiers and police have lost their lives in the struggle – more than combined Nato losses in Afghanistan, Mr Qureshi added.

“Nonetheless, it unfortunately seems easy to dismiss Pakistan’s contributions and sacrifices. There are still tongue-in-cheek comments, even in this capital, about Pakistan’s heart not really being in this fight,” he said. “We do not know what greater evidence to offer than the blood of our people. Madame Secretary, we are determined to win this fight.”

Defence ministers and military chiefs of the two countries and cabinet members from both sides attended the plenary session.

Secretary Clinton also made a strong commitment to the Counter-insurgency Capability Fund assistance, aimed at meeting ground requirements in the war against extremists.

Foreign Minister Qureshi pointed out that Pakistan would not “allow any space” to terrorists on its territory, and that “there can be no distinction between good and bad terrorists”, an apparent response to US criticism that while Islamabad targeted the Pakistani Taliban, it did not go after those who operated across the border in Afghanistan.

While expressing gratitude for US flood relief efforts, Mr Qureshi complained about a “deafening silence” by world leaders about some 100 recent deaths in a crackdown by Indian security forces on protesters in occupied Kashmir.

And he said he hoped for a more assertive US role on Kashmir and other South Asian issues when President Obama visited India early next month.

Secretary Clinton assured Pakistan that the United States continued its support for the rehabilitation of the flood victims as the country moves towards long-term recovery.

She said that during the three-day talks, the two sides also deliberated upon some of “the toughest problems” confronting them.

“So we are tackling some of the toughest problems. Nothing is being swept under the rug. And I have to say I am so impressed by the quality of our engagement from both the government and the people of Pakistan,” she said.

Although she did not identify these tough problems, the US media reported that the Obama administration had made it clear that it expects Islamabad to do more in the fight against militants.
[Source: Dawn, 24th Oct, 2010]

Please verify the amount I have highlighted. It appears bluntly unrealistic and I could not find the same amount mentioned in any other news site including The News.

http://epaper.dawn.com/ArticleText.a...0_2010_005_004

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Brother, do you think Pakistan would be getting $300 billion dollars in 2010-2011 fiscal year ????

Food for thought : [ America approved $7.6 Billions aid under Kerry Lugar bill for a term of five years. How can Pakistan get $300 billion in just one year ?? ]

Its sheer ignorance and a blunder by the reputed news paper of the country.

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Verily, His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says "Be!" - and it is! (Al-Quran)

i think, its typing mistake.......it's $300 Million for fiscal year 2010-2011....and $350 Million for next year......because total aid is $2 Billion(2,000 million) which will be given in 5 years.

This aid is a golden dream nothing else more. The only purpose is to make pakistan dependant.

In this respect, the strategic affairs are also a joke to make the pakistani people fool. Actually America is trying to find its own maximum benefits from here and after getting the desired purposes, It will leave pakistan in lurge.

Dear Redmax,

$ 300 billion is extremely huge even more than our GDP, so its practically not possible. While $300 or 350 Million is fair and viable.

Regards,

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'Never think that God's delays are God's denials. Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius!

That's what actually caught my attention while I read news online and then in the hard copy too. For a prudent reader, this kind of typing error or script mistake was of course unpardonable.


What the public of Pakistan will get out of this $2bn toffee, that is anyone's guess.

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Verily, His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says "Be!" - and it is! (Al-Quran)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBA Dear Redmax, $ 300 billion is extremely huge even more than our GDP, so its practically not possible. While $300 or 350 Million is fair and viable. Regards,

The Obama administration pledged Friday to raise its military aid to Pakistan to $2 billion a year - a total increase of $10 billion over five years - to help the country fight extremism. Officials at the State Department say aid will be denied to any Pakistani army units linked to human rights abuses.

The aid pledge, announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, provides a long-term U.S. security commitment along the lines of the five-year, $7.5 billion civilian aid package for Pakistan approved by Congress last year.

Clinton said the Obama administration will ask Congress for $2 billion in military aid for Pakistan for each year from 2012 to 2016.

The yearly pledges constitute an increase in the roughly $1.5 billion in annual military aid provided in recent years, and give Pakistan an assurance of continuity in U.S. support.

Addressing a plenary meeting capping a three-day bilateral strategic dialogue, Clinton said the United States has full confidence in Pakistan's commitment to the anti-terrorist fight:

"I want to say publicly what many of us have said privately: the United States has no stronger partner when it comes to counter-terrorism efforts against the extremists who threaten us both than Pakistan," said Hillary Clinton. "We recognize and appreciate the sacrifice and service that the men and women, particularly the soldiers of the military in Pakistan, have made in order to restore order and go after those who threaten the very institutions of the state of Pakistan."

U.S. officials in recent days have given a mixed picture of Pakistan's anti-terrorism efforts, crediting Islamabad with strides against factions linked to al-Qaida but faulting its efforts against groups fighting NATO forces in Afghanistan that operate from Pakistani border areas.

In his comments, at the plenary meeting of the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi expressed irritation over what he said are U.S. insinuations that Pakistan's effort against extremism is lacking.

"Nearly 7,000 of our valiant law-enforcement officials have perished in this fight - more than the combined loss of lives of NATO forces in Afghanistan," said Qureshi. "Nonetheless, it unfortunately seems easy to dismiss Pakistan's contributions and sacrifices. There are still tongue-in-cheek comments, even in this capital, about Pakistan's heart not really being in this fight. We do not know what greater evidence to offer than the blood of our people."

Despite the new U.S. commitment, the State Department confirmed press reports Friday that in line with an act of Congress, U.S. aid is being denied to several Pakistani army units linked to human rights violations.

State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley said the aid curbs under the 1997 Leahy Amendment have been in effect for some time, and are not related to a recent video said to show Pakistani soldiers executing a group of prisoners.

"We have been following the law all along and as we have developed our relations with Pakistan we have been in full compliance with the Leahy Amendment," said P.J. Crowley. "Where we have had human rights concerns, we have not supported particular units. That is fully in accordance with the law. So for those units we are supporting, we are satisfied that these units do not have human rights concerns."

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/...105527373.html

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