A crisis in relations looked set to deepen after a U.S. House-Senate negotiating panel agreed to freeze $700 million in U.S. aid to Pakistan until it gives assurances it is helping fight the spread of improvised explosive devices in the region.
The United States wants “assurances that Pakistan is countering improvised explosive devices in their country that are targeting our coalition forces,” Representative Howard McKeon, a House Republican, told reporters.
The United States has allocated some $20 billion in security and economic aid to Pakistan since 2001, much of it in the form of reimbursements for assistance in fighting militants.
But U.S. lawmakers have expressed increasing frustration with Pakistan’s efforts in the war.
The decision to freeze aid could prompt Pakistan to harden its stance towards Washington.
“I think the Pakistan side will understand the type of signal that is coming, which shows it’s not only a question of aid,” said former general and security analyst Talat Masood.
“The whole attitude of the U.S. and the relationship will be affected by these measures because they know Pakistan will not be in a position to control the smuggling.”
U.S. lawmakers said that many Afghan bombs are made with fertilizer smuggled by militants across the border from Pakistan into Afghanistan.
“The vast majority of the material used to make improvised explosive devices used against U.S. forces in Afghanistan originates from two fertilizer factories inside Pakistan,” Senator John McCain, a Republican, said in the Senate last week.
A Congressional Research Service report in October said the Pakistani factories, owned by one of the country’s biggest companies, Pakarab, have been producing over 300,000 metric tonnes of ammonium nitrate per year since 2004.
RAMPANT SMUGGLING
The United States has urged Pakistan to strictly regulate the distribution of ammonium nitrate to Afghanistan. So far, Pakistan has only produced draft legislation on the issue.
Analysts say U.S. demands will be tough to meet because of rampant corruption on both sides of the border which makes smuggling easy.
One businessman explained how easy it is to get through security posts along the porous border.
“We pay a 1,200 rupees bribe to the Pakistani Frontiers Corps on the border for every car carrying fertilizer,” said Kamal Khan in the town of Chaman near the border with Afghanistan.
“Fertilizer is smuggled on trucks, pickup trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and donkey carts.”
“If you say, ‘ok you can only produce these ureas and you cannot produce the nitrates’ it means you are going to impose unrealistic terms on Pakistan,” said Amir Rana director of the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies.
The provision freezing $700 million in aid was agreed upon by leaders of the armed services committees from both parties in the House and Senate, including McCain. It is part of compromise legislation authorizing U.S. defense programs expected to be approved this week, McKeon said.
He said the bill would also require the Pentagon to deliver a strategy for improving the effectiveness of U.S. aid to Pakistan.
es k illawa ur kar bhi kia sakty hain ye log
We are better off without this blood money!
this is going to have serious repercussions for Pakistan Economy. Because it's too hard to convince beggars to earn their living
A blessing in disguise
ur rite raoof . these people playing wid our lives . they didnt care about us about pakistan .
Good riddance. We should now market our nukes to the middle east. Should make 20 times as much. As it is Israel deserves a nuking.
That is a very irresponsible position to take.
"The United States has allocated some $20 billion in security and economic aid to
Pakistan since 2001, much of it in the form of reimbursements for assistance in fighting
militants."
THE PUBLIC HAS NOT SEEN THIS MONEY.
PUBLIC SERVICES ARE AS POOR AS THEY WERE 10 YEARS AGO OR EVEN 20 YEARS AGO.
20 بلین ڈالر عوام نے نہیں دیکھے،لیکن پاکستان کے حکمرانوں اور جونک نما سیاستدانوں نے تو دیکھھے ہیں، 700 ملین بند ہونے کا عوام کو کوئی فرق نہیں پڑتا،لیکن آپ کے لٹیرے حکمران ضرور اپنے ہونٹ کاٹیں گے، جن کو حرام کھانے کی عادت پڑھی ہوئی ہے،اچھا ہے امریکہ ہمیشہ کیلئے ہماری سپورٹ بند کر دے شاہد بھوک سے ہمارے لیڈروں کے ضمیر ذندہ ہو جائیں!!!!
The United States has allocated some $20 billion in security and economic aid to Pakistan since 2001, much of it in the form of reimbursements for assistance in fighting militants.
THE PUBLIC HAS NOT SEEN THIS MONEY.
PUBLIC SERVICES ARE AS POOR AS THEY WERE 10 YEARS AGO OR EVEN 20 YEARS AGO.
does not matter coz they will move
"Occupy NATO"..and lets get International help in Brussels, London and Paris..perhaps. Its worth a try… Phone aunt Jamima whatever
Go ahead and freeze that $700m…what difference does it make? Pakistan has spent over $60b on this fake war, and the US gives us $20b as if it’s our lifeline. Go ahead freeze it, like it matters.
Up urs ur aid we don’t want it and we r better off with out any aid cuz only american puppets were benifiting from it thank you America haha
let us face facts !Since birth Pakistan has been a rentier state at America,s disposal.It started from President,s ayubs days and still exists today .Only the price varies.When Zia asked for cashew nuts he was offered peanuts. He refused but got them from Reagan.Every time other Prime minister,s asked it was usa who decided.When President
Musharaf asked he got both cashewnuts plus F16.The army was quite happy to sacrifice itself.The present hiccup won,t last long.The cashew nuts will be offered again and every body will start smiling again.Pakistan has really no choice.We are the most allied allies of usa(quote from late prime Minister B .Bhutto).Let us cool things down
Dr.Khan
Wasn,t it this used that hsed to sof
would be better if the policymakers thought it before and took early decision…. understanding the real issue after 12 yrs of devastation is not too good for the health of the country.
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