Pakistan

US budget 2016-17: Obama proposes $860m aid for Pakistan

Budget provides $265 million for military hardware in addition to counterinsurgency funds

News Desk February 10, 2016

US President Barack Obama. PHOTO: AFP

US government has proposed US $860 million in aid for Pakistan during the 2016-17 fiscal year, including $265 million for military hardware in addition to counterinsurgency funds.

The funds were laid out in US President Barack Obama’s budget proposal and Secretary of State John Kerry’s proposals.

US seeks 10% cut in economic assistance to Pakistan

“The budget also provides $859.8 million towards sustaining cooperative relationships with Pakistan,” the State Department said, adding that it was also meant for making progress to “disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda and its extremist allies.”

"The requested funding will support the country's counter-insurgency missions, and bolster stability, energy access, economic growth, and social reform," Kerry said in a letter accompanying his proposals, reported Times of India.

"Pakistan lies at the heart of the US counter-terrorism strategy, the peace process in Afghanistan, nuclear non-proliferation efforts, and economic integration in South and Central Asia," state department said of aid earmarked for Pakistan under the overseas contingency operations (OCO) fund.

US agrees to extend military assistance to Pakistan for another year

"OCO resources will support critical US activities such as ensuring the safety of Pakistani nuclear installations, working with Pakistan to facilitate the peace process in Afghanistan, and promoting improved relations with India," it said.

Under the overseas operations contingency budget, Pakistan will get $40 million.

Under the counterinsurgency fund (PCF), Pakistan will get $15 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2016.

COMMENTS (23)

momenkhan | 8 years ago | Reply it's a big insult of pak in the world to run on america aid every time to destory muslims by taking them, taking lone on that condition will get unlimited bad results.

Stop the trolling | 8 years ago | Reply @vinsin: Your silly conspiracy theories about Pakistan are all that you Indians can ever cook up now, because you've lost all your credibility to make any actual productive contribution to the region and the Afghan peace process, that's why Pakistan is at the center of that process and India is entirely excluded. Unless you drop your siege mentality and stop raising red flags at everything about Pakistan, you will keep howling at the sidelines while Pakistan joins the US and China in doing the serious work of restoring peace to Afghanistan.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Sameer | 8 years ago | Reply @vinsin: "Give some example of Indians trying to trouble Pakistan." -- See, this question of yours is nothing but barefaced dishonesty and you know it yourself. You are weakening your own already-weak case by playing dumb and acting like Indha hasn't troubled Pakistan. Obviously you are not here to make a meaningful contribution to make a discussion productive, you are just here to troll and spam.

Shuaib | 8 years ago | Reply @vinsin: Not the case mate. If you are talking about all aid then it may be the case. However US aid is different mayter. In fact India had recieved more aid than Pakistan from the US but not on a per capita basis.

Zahid | 8 years ago | Reply Thank you USA Government to helping us hope this time we will use this aid on education health and security

ramdar | 8 years ago | Reply @CleanBowled: Perhaps you missed Bangladesh & Vietnam. Check with Afghans who is meddling in their country. Ask Vietnam, who is creating tension in South China see.

iAidIndia | 8 years ago | Reply @vinsin: Sir, India is the world 3rd,top Aid receiver from countries even Pak could not get from. After Israel and Egypt India comes 3rd. She has been doling from the West for Poverty elimination & Economy improvement: $1 Billion annually from UK. $62.5 Billion from IMF, $6 Billion from U.S. even when it was friend of USSR and against U.S. Pak number 26th, after Vietnam. Please correct you research method. Regular stipend in millions the name of poor from , Nederland, Germany, France, Iran and Bahrain is not mentioned above. According to New York Times, India received $4 billion from Pak last year for miscellaneous aid, cost and services.

John B | 8 years ago | Reply As a tax payer I object to this aid which focuses more on militarization of PAK. Any aid of this kind induces weapons purchase, and temporary spike in law enforcement role, and violence, corruption and dismay in the end. Seen this episode in the past in pak and elsewhere in the world. If the aid is intended for social welfare such as schools, hospitals, farmers education and training, programs targeted towards underprivileged non muslim minorities, women empowerment, child welfare, I say, double it. otherwise, this aid is a waste as it is earmarked. The money will not bring social progress.

CleanBowled | 8 years ago | Reply @Uday: May be! And may be India has better things to do than meddle in South China Sea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka!

PrakashG | 8 years ago | Reply @Clubsandwich: You seem proud of fighting other countries' wars and getting paid for it. Good for you.

Uday | 8 years ago | Reply @Clubsandwich: May be they have better things to do than doing other's dirty work for securing aid.

touseef | 8 years ago | Reply As a Pakistani i am ashamed of this news. When will we stop getting aid.

Shahid Akram | 8 years ago | Reply Pakistan can live without 860 million $.

Clubsandwich | 8 years ago | Reply @vinsin: Yes Pakistan receives military aid because it fought two wars on US's behalf. First against USSR and the second one against terrorism. Despite that it is not in the top ten recipient of US's "military" aid. On the other hand, India was never a front-line state in any war that US waged.

vinsin | 8 years ago | Reply @Clubsandwich: That only include economic Aid not overall. Pakistan gets military Aids and Aids from Gulf Countries.

Clubsandwich | 8 years ago | Reply @Vinsin@SuperNeo Thank you for being so concerned about Pakistan. Talking about aid and slavery, read this article: http://www.dawn.com/news/1194228. Seems like you guys are the biggest recipient of American aid.

faisal | 8 years ago | Reply we will accept american aid to keep our kitchen running only if america fulfill our these conditions : 1 2 3 4 etc....etc

vinsin | 8 years ago | Reply @Mirza Asif Baig: Give some example of Indians trying to trouble Pakistan.

SuperNeo | 8 years ago | Reply Thank you America, for keeping our neighbors Slave forever, they deserve both Aid and Slavery.

Xnain | 8 years ago | Reply For Pakistan or Pakistan Army?

kani | 8 years ago | Reply @vinsin You must understand first the reason behind this aid!

Mirza Asif Baig | 8 years ago | Reply @vinsin: Why you Indians are always estimating they ways which could trouble Pakistan? Whats your Problem?

vinsin | 8 years ago | Reply Most of this will go into making nuclear weapons. This Aid makes Pakistan second highest recipient of US AID since Independence after Israel. If Included other countries then Pakistan is the biggest recipient of aids in the world since Independence.If aids converted to loan then Pakistan debt to GDP would be 120%, that means that Pakistan whole 70% budget could have gone into just paying interest on loans.

Replying to X