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US Blocks $350 Million Aid to Pakistan For Not Taking Sufficient Action Against Haqqani Network
In the past year, the Pentagon had blocked the disbursement of $300 million military fund, citing lack of action taken by Islamabad against Taliban militants operating from border regions of Pakistan.
Washington, July 21: Signalling the toughening of stance against Pakistan, the Trump administration decided not to release $350 million to Islamabad as part of Coalition Support Fund (CSF). The disbursement was blocked by Congress after Defence Secretary James Mattis told the Senators that he could not certify whether Pakistan took sufficient action in fight against the Islamist group Haqqani Network, responsible for a range of terror strikes in Afghanistan.
Defence department spokesman Adam Stump confirmed to reporters about Mattis’ decision to not to certify Islamabad for the $350 million grant. Stump said the CSF amount would be used in other areas of US’ defence and strategic interests.
Pakistan was authorised to receive nearly $900 million in form of CSF in the financial year of 2016-17. While $550 million was earlier disbursed, the remainder of the amount was upheld, as it’s release depended upon the action taken by Islamabad against Haqqani Network cadres operating from the parts of North West Frontier and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. ALSO READ: Pakistan Continues to be Safe Haven For Terrorist Organisations
“With the secretary’s decision, there is no additional FY16 CSF available to Pakistan. The secretary decided to request reprogramming of the funds to retain the ability to use those funds for other requirements,” Stump told the press.
The Defence department spokesperson, however, said the disapproval of $350 million CSF to Pakistan should not be considered as deterioration of the defence ties between Islamabad and Washington. “This decision does not prejudge the conclusions of the White House review of South Asia strategy, which is still ongoing,” Stump said, further appreciating the efforts taken by Nawaz Sharif regime to crackdown on terrorist safe havens in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and North Waziristan.
Stump, however, stated that US officials were not satisfied with the efforts taken by Pakistan in eliminating the militants of Haqqani Network and Afghan Taliban, finding refuge on their soil. “In our discussions with Pakistani officials, we continue to stress that it is in the interest of Pakistan to eliminate all safe havens and reduce their operational capacity,” he added.
Pentagon’s decision against the release of CSF funds to Pakistan also comes in the backdrop of consistent charges made by India and Afghanistan, accusing Islamabad of using “non-state actors as part of their foreign policy”. While New Delhi has blamed Pakistan-based militants for a range of terror strikes in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, including the attack at army camp in Uri, Aghan President Ashraf Ghani held “Pakistan-supported Haqqani Network” responsible for the blast in Kabul last month, which claimed 80 lives.
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