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US cuts USD 150 million citing
human rights, lack of democracy, and slow progress on terror
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Pakistan rejects that cut is
tied to the denial of access to A.Q. Khan
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Pakistan projects cut as part
of standard budget cuts in US
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The United States (US) cut its USD 701 million aid package to Pakistan citing
deterioration in human rights, lack of progress on democracy, not doing enough
on terror and also speculated for denying access to disgraced nuclear scientist
A.Q. Khan. However, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam dismissed the
suggestion that the aid cutback was tied to the Khan issue saying "I do not
think there is any relationship between the two."
Aslam claimed that the US Administration is committed to “ensure the original
amount committed to Pakistan by President Bush is restored.” She explained that
in 2005, Pakistan got $701 million in assistance from the U.S., under a $3
billion program announced by US President George Bush in 2003 that is
essentially divided between the Economic Support Fund and the Foreign Military
Fund. In 2006, Pakistan got a $695 million package and for 2007, the US had
promised $738 million and this was now lower by $150 million. She also claimed
that the slashed allocation was part of overall budget cuts and seemed to
suggest that Pakistan is really not at fault and was essentially sharing the
budget cut pain with the US.
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