US-AID to Pakistan

thakur_ritesh

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India is not here to be either the us’s or russia’s ally, even during the cold war era we never ended up being in the lap of Russia, though they had considerable influence during IG’s era. Ally is too strong a term to be used and India does not fall in that space at all nor would India be interested to be in that space in future.

If you recall, condi rice last year was snubbed by the MEA for precisely the same reason post the 123 got cleared from the Indian parliament, where she had suggested India to shun the non-allied stance that we maintain till date, to a more pro-west approach in our external affairs policy.

India believes in the concept of a multi polar world where no one power has complete hegemony as is the case today.

We are going to reap benefits from the both the us and Russia without falling in the lap of either.

When I said technology I did not specifically mean their defence equipment since technology goes way beyond. France stepping in with their nuke plants is one such example and there is a lot more out there to be grabbed.

There is no way India will offend Russia, they have been our long trusted partners, more a case of friend in need, friend indeed, though international relations has nothing like a concept of friends but just the interests.

If anything india’s relations have only improved with Russia off late and India has been able to have considerably good relations with the us, a work well done by our politicians and diplomats.
 

RPK

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US aid may be disastrous so reach out to China: Pakistani minister

Lahore, Nov 10 (IANS) Pakistan should strengthen its relations with China and not accept aid from the US as it may “take us to the verge of disaster”, a minister said here.
Federal Minister for Science and Technology Azam Sawati said that Pakistan should enhance its relations with China instead of accepting aid from the US, as this aid may take the country to the verge of disaster, The News reported Tuesday.

While addressing officials of the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research laboratories during a day-long visit Monday, Sawati said American aid would completely destroy the country’s institutions and hence Pakistan should turn it down.

He said the masses could be pacified by enhancing the political and economic relations with China.

He suggested that the country should have gas and oil from Iran in order to curb the current energy crisis in the country.

The minister said that China is an all time friend which will definitely help the country come out of the current power and energy crises as well as address other economic issues.

Pakistani senators last month had urged the government to withdraw from the Kerry Lugar bill that places conditionalities on the US aid to the country.

The senators said the government should withdraw from the bill as parliament as well as the public were not supportive of the agreement.

The bill provides unconditional non-military US assistance to Pakistan but imposes conditions for military aid.
 

qilaotou

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The solid relationship between Pak and China is mainly based on mutual trust of their people, similar to that between Russians and Indians. The governmental interaction has been pumpy with ups and downs because of presence of pro-US elite elements in Pakistan.
 

Sabir

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The solid relationship between Pak and China is mainly based on mutual trust of their people, similar to that between Russians and Indians. The governmental interaction has been pumpy with ups and downs because of presence of pro-US elite elements in Pakistan.
Are you kidding??? In both the exmples it is toallyGovernment to Government affair. Exceptions are very few. Neither the Pakistani has anything common with you, nor we have anything with the Russians. Mutual trust between people can not be created from thin air. Please dont post just sake of posting. Dont defend your Governtment's penchant for a rogue State with lame logic.
 
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China is the cheapskate a second fiddler compared to USA in aid to pakistan, China is trying to buy influence on the cheap they don't come close to giving anywhere near what USA gives, China needs to give much more and Pakistan should demand much more if China is a claiming themselves to be a new world superpower they sure are not proving it by being stingy cheapskates in their aid to Pakistan.
 

johnee

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China is the cheapskate a second fiddler compared to USA in aid to pakistan, China is trying to buy influence on the cheap they don't come close to giving anywhere near what USA gives, China needs to give much more and Pakistan should demand much more if China is a claiming themselves to be a new world superpower they sure are not proving it by being stingy cheapskates in their aid to Pakistan.
Chinese have been clever in their dealing with Pakistan unlike the unkil. US keeps giving away billions of dollars in aids yet Paks hate them, breed terrorists that aim to attack US mainland and kill US terrorists in Pak-Af. While the wily Chinese give peanuts yet Paks admire them and do their bidding as when asked. Thats chanakian. US must learn from China, the art of handling a rogue nation. China is adept because it deals with many such. NoKo, Pak..etc.
 
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USA is giving more because they feel they are losing Pakistan to China, the Chinese have bought Pakistan for peanuts and that is what scares USA, if USA stops the aid the war effort will fail, USA is trapped by Pakistan actually held hostage. Actually it is pakistan that is more clever than China using China to milk USA, then discard China later and play them again.
 

ppgj

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USA sells debt to china and aids pakistan. it is actually china's money!! :wink::tongue0020:
 
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True they are giving an IOU to China and cash to Pakistan, anyway this money will never be seen by China, so Pakistan is even more important than China when viewed in this context.
 

musalman

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Are you kidding??? In both the exmples it is toallyGovernment to Government affair. Exceptions are very few. Neither the Pakistani has anything common with you, nor we have anything with the Russians. Mutual trust between people can not be created from thin air. Please dont post just sake of posting. Dont defend your Governtment's penchant for a rogue State with lame logic.
Yes but we Pakistani generally have good feelings towards Chinese and Turks
 

Sabir

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So we have for the Russians. But that originated from the act of our political leaders of making alliance. Of course I am not taking the Turks in it. There are other reasons.
 

sky

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USA should stop aiding Pakistan i agree to that. But USA is more untrustworthy as they put us in Afganistan war and when we won them that war they left us and even put sanctions on us. They even did not pay back the money they took us for 70 F16 in 90s.
What did you expect from america,iternal gratitude and a life time supply of aid.America only has permanent interest's not permanent friends,the more you rely on others the more your destiny is not in your own hand's.

Look at it like a life lesson,theres no such thing as a free lunch.The KL bill is not the answer to pakistan's problem's nor is it as bad as its been made out to be.Because pakistan is not a true democracy it looks at the accountability aspect of the bill as a slap in the face for pakistan .Not seeing the usa has to justify how its tax dollars are spent .
 

RPK

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Pak to receive 174 million dollars as US restores budgetary support


Islamabad, Nov.12 (ANI): The United States has restored Pakistan’s budgetary support, nearly three years after it was suspended. Islamabad is set to receive about 174 million dollars as a result.

Informing the media about Washington’s decision to discontinue the ban on the budgetary support, Economic Affairs Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said the financial assistance being provided to Islamabad was separate from the monetary aid being provided under the Kerry Lugar Bill.

“Release of 174 million dollars of budgetary support from United States is already finalised and modalities for its utilisation are in the process of finalization at this point of time,” The Daily Times quoted Khar, as saying.

Khar also said the US would soon be releasing the Coalition Support Fund arrears, which would see Pakistan receiving an additional 530 million dollars by the end of this month.

Referring to Japan’s pledge to provide two billion dollars in aid to Pakistan over the next five years, Khar said: ” Japan has shown its willingness to utilise its pledged money through World Bank’s assisted programme on poverty reduction initiatives and we would encourage other donors to route their pledges through International Financial Institutions (IFIs) channel as this would help cut intermediation cost.”

According to a private television channel, the aid package is meant for rehabilitation work in areas affected by the ‘war on terror’.

Tokyo would also be providing five billion dollars to Afghanistan as relief and for rehabilitation work.

A Japanese embassy statement issued here said the aid, which would start arriving next year, is funded by the United Nations Development Fund and many other international relief organisations. (ANI)
 

musalman

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What did you expect from america,iternal gratitude and a life time supply of aid.America only has permanent interest's not permanent friends,the more you rely on others the more your destiny is not in your own hand's.

Look at it like a life lesson,theres no such thing as a free lunch.The KL bill is not the answer to pakistan's problem's nor is it as bad as its been made out to be.Because pakistan is not a true democracy it looks at the accountability aspect of the bill as a slap in the face for pakistan .Not seeing the usa has to justify how its tax dollars are spent .
No not gratitude but atleast they should have honored their trade commitments which they didn't. Regarding accountability, mostly American backed politicians and army ppl are the one who break the accountability doctrine.
Please note that we Pakistani do not want any aid from US, as these are of no use to Pakistan or the Pakistani people except Mr. Zardardari and his mates.
 

musalman

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Major chunk will go to american consultants and construction of fort like US embassy in Islamabad
 

ppgj

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US outlines conditions for aid to Pakistan
Wednesday, 16 Dec, 2009


Programs will be suspended if evidence of corruption; water, electricity and agriculture will be priorities. Above: The Harry S. Truman Building in Washington DC, headquarter of the US State Department.File photo

WASHINGTON: The Obama administration sought to reassure US lawmakers this week it would demand ‘maximum accountability’ from Pakistan for $7.5 billion in aid and that it had safeguards to ensure funds did not reach extremists.

In a report sent by the State Department to congressional committees late on Monday, the administration outlined its priorities for the aid, including water, agriculture and electricity projects, and laid out a strategy to prevent corruption and misuse of the money.

‘The Secretary (of State) will suspend any government to government assistance to any implementing agency if there is credible evidence of misuse of funds by such agency,’ said the report, obtained by Reuters.

The report was mandated by Congress after the $7.5 billion, five-year aid plan passed into law in October. So far, appropriations committees have agreed on nearly $1.5 billion for the first year.

In a shift from previous practice, much of the aid will be channeled via national and provincial governments in Pakistan as well as domestic groups, instead of the usual US-based humanitarian organizations and contractors.

‘Throughout this period there will be a decrease in reliance on US-based partners for education, health and other field programs that can be managed responsibly by Pakistani institutions,’ said the report.

‘To provide maximum accountability and oversight, a bilateral agreement between the US and Pakistan must be in place detailing the conditions for disbursement of funds and detailed monitoring and reporting requirements, before any government to government assistance is provided,’ it said.

Challenges outlined by the State Dept

The report conceded ‘real and significant’ challenges in implementing the plan, including public sector corruption, poor security and ‘extremist’ elements as well as deep suspicion of US intentions and long-term commitment to Pakistan.

Nearly half of the funds — $3.5 billion — would focus on infrastructure programs that would demonstrate Washington’s long-term commitment to Pakistan and help build mutual trust between the two nations, said the report.

There needs to be urgent investment in canals and irrigation services, and another focus will be on improving cold storage facilities, it added.

Another large chunk — about $2 billion — would be allocated to humanitarian and social programs such as education and health, ‘extending the writ of government in areas vulnerable to extremism.’

The final $2 billion is for building up Pakistani government institutions at the national, provincial and local level, it added.

One fear of lawmakers and others is that the increased US aid will reach the hands of militants, but the report promised strict guidelines would be in place to ensure that aid was not awarded to ‘terrorist organizations.’

Potential recipients would be checked against lists of suspected extremists kept by the US Treasury, and the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement would apply ‘thorough vetting’ procedures.

‘On the ground verification procedures are being implemented to ensure that US government humanitarian and other forms of assistance do not benefit extremist groups.’

Several lawmakers have expressed strong doubts over the capacity of the US government to implement the additional funding but the report said there were plans to increase the number of US staff in Pakistan. It did not give figures. —Reuters

DAWN.COM | World | US outlines conditions for aid to Pakistan
 

atleast_a_bronze

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Jockeying has begun for $7.5b in US funding to Pakistan

The Obama administration has sketched out wide-ranging plans to spend $7.5 billion in aid to Pakistan over the next five years, an ambitious effort billed as crucial Marshall Plan-style support for Pakistan at a time when its fragile government is fighting the Taliban and other extremists.

But thorny questions remain about how the administration will disburse the money, sparking a flurry of behind-the-scenes jockeying by governmental and nongovernmental institutions trying to secure a piece of it.

The long-anticipated plan - submitted to Congress in late December and obtained by the Globe - calls for $1.5 billion for health and education to be spent in Pakistani regions vulnerable to extremism; $3.5 billion on big-ticket infrastructure projects, such as helping build hydroelectric dams and update power stations; $2 billion to strengthen and reform Pakistan’s government; and $500 million for humanitarian assistance for people displaced by Pakistani military operations against the Taliban.

The plan also suggests as much as $1 billion in future funding to Pakistan’s military to purchase 20 AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopters from US defense contractors, but notes that the aim of the money is to signal long-term US support for Pakistan’s people, not just its military in a time of war.

“It is an incredibly important symbol that our civilian assistance now will exceed our military assistance,’’ Paul Jones, deputy to Richard Holbrooke, the administration’s special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said in an interview.

But the aid, pushed through Congress by Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, comes at a time of increasing tension between Washington and the troubled South Asian ally, as many Pakistanis accuse the United States of meddling in their internal affairs and trying to micromanage the fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Deciding who will receive funds, and who won’t, will be a delicate matter.

For instance, in the education sector, Pakistan’s government believes it should receive the lion’s share of the money at a time when half of the population is under age 18 and nearly half of all school-age children do not attend school.

“The government of Pakistan’s preference is that it should go through the government,’’ said Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, who is on leave from Boston University. Haqqani said the money could be used to send millions of children to school, train teachers, and improve curriculum.

For the rest of the article, click here
 

nandu

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Senator Kerry seeks tighter control over civilian aid to Pak

The massive US civilian aid flowing into Pakistan would be squandered or stolen, a powerful American Senator has said, arguing that rampant corruption in that country, would make effective aid distribution a challenge.

The red-flag has been raised by Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a seven-page letter to Richard Holbrooke, the Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"Among the Pakistani population there is already a fear that the funds will merely enrich the corrupt elite. Channelling so much of the money through untested institutions so quickly could serve to confirm these suspicions," he wrote.

Dated May 25, the letter is now widely available on the internet.

Such a strongly worded letter from a top US Senator comes in the wake of Holbrooke's decision to route at least 50 per cent of the aid money either through the Pakistani Government or through the Pakistani civil society or local non-governmental organisations.

So far the US aid money in Pakistan is mostly routed through the American NGOs working in the country. One of the major complaints against these US NGOs, is that they have a very high overhead cost and they finally end up doing the work by sub-contracting them through the local NGOs/workers; thus a high fraction of the aid money is wasted in transit.

However, Kerry, who has oversight responsibilities over the funds, believes that the Pakistani organisations are not ready yet to effectively spend the US aid money. "The danger is much greater than merely the possibility of a portion of funds being poorly spent," he said.

"If significant portion of the Kerry-Lugar-Berman funds are, for example, siphoned off to private bank accounts, political support for continued appropriation of the money could evaporate in Washington and Pakistan," Kerry said.

Fearing massive corruption into the US aid money to Pakistan, Kerry in his letter has highlighted the need for long-term development progress, more transparency and policy reforms in key sectors like energy.

"This Administration should be as transparent and specific as possible as how US funds will be spent in Pakistan. To date, this process is largely opaque to the broader public, including our Pakistani friend and p p-partners. This lack of transparency can generate suspicion and distrust, defeating the core intent of the Act to help build stronger ties with the Pakistani people," Kerry said.

The Administration will need to have to have a sound transition plan in place so that local Pakistani institutions are capable of handling FY 2010 funds in an accountable, effective manner, Kerry noted.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/s...ter-control-over-civilian-aid-to-pak/633205/0
 

Patriot

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U.S to provide $11.1m in assistance to conflict-affected Pakistan

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, June 19, 2010 IRNA -- The U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan,Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, Saturday pledged an additional $11.1 million in humanitarian assistance for Pakistanis affected by the conflict in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , the U.S embassy said Saturday.

The aid announcement was made shortly after Pakistani Prime Minister warned Holbrooke that public support to the anti-terror war could be badly affected if the international community failed to start delivering over their pledges to help Pakistan.

Of the total pledge, $4 million will be directed through the World Health Organization for provision of life-saving health services, including maternal, newborn, and child healthcare; reproductive healthcare and family planning; psychosocial support; rehabilitative services for persons with disabilities; and provision of essential medicines and supplies to the affected population, the U.S embassy said.

This pledge helps to address pressing needs and acute funding shortfalls in the health sector that threaten the delivery of emergency assistance to millions of Pakistanis, it said.

A total of $4.1 million of the pledge will go to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for camp coordination and camp management, provision of emergency shelter and non-food items, and protection activities in support of 1.4 million Pakistanis who remain displaced, host families who have sheltered nearly 90 percent of displaced Pakistanis during the course of the conflict, and 1.95 million Pakistanis who have returned home.

Of the total $11.1 million pledge, the $8.1 million planned for UNHCR and WHO will be counted under the 2010 UN Pakistan Humanitarian Response Plan (PHRP), bringing the total U.S. government contribution to the PHRP up to $71.1 million.

The remaining $3 million will go to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for provision of food and essential household items to displaced families and host communities, camp management, provision of medical assistance and physical rehabilitation services, reunification of families separated by the conflict, promotion of international humanitarian law, and support of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society.

The United States has contributed $173.9 million in humanitarian assistance to Pakistan thus far in Fiscal Year 2010, the embassy said. Today's announcement of additional funding further demonstrates the American people's continuing support and commitment to the people of Pakistan, it added.

**1412




http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/pakistan/2010/pakistan-100619-irna01.htm
 

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