Pakistan

US aid to Pakistan: ‘Corruption becoming a hurdle in implementation’

Key issue in CRS report is the conditions on the aid, applicable on security related assistance, arms transfers.

Huma Imtiaz June 12, 2011

WASHINGTON:

In its new report on US aid to Pakistan, the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the public policy wing of Congress, has cited corruption, lack of transparency, certification by the US government on Pakistan’s requirements to act against terrorist groups and a lack of economic reforms as some of the biggest hurdles in the implementation of US aid to Pakistan.

According to the report, the Obama administration has asked for $2,965 million for fiscal year 2012 for aid to Pakistan. Of $2,965 million, nearly 46 per cent is for economic assistance, and 54 per cent for security assistance.

The report highlights various categories that the Obama administration has requested money for, including the Economic Support Fund for $1,360 million and other sectors such as humanitarian aid, health and education services and governance.

In military aid, the US government has requested $350 million for foreign military financing (FMF), $5 million for international military education and training and $23.4 million for nonproliferation, counterterrorism, demining, and related programmes (NADR).

A key issue highlighted in the report is the conditions on US aid to Pakistan which are applicable on security-related assistance and arms transfers. According to the US law, the secretary of state has to annually certify that Pakistan is cooperating with the US to dismantle networks of nuclear proliferation and provide information to the US about any individuals involved in such networks. Additionally, Pakistan has to demonstrate “sustained commitment and significant efforts in combating terrorist groups”, including “ceasing support, by any elements within the Pakistan military or its intelligence agency, to extremist and terrorist groups, particularly to any group that has conducted attacks against the US or coalition forces in Afghanistan, or against the territory or people of neighbouring countries”.

Groups such as al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad must also be prevented against carrying out attacks in neighbouring countries. While US Secretary of State Hillary Hilary Clinton certified to Congress in March 2011 that Pakistan was fulfilling these requirements, the report highlights that the certification has been met with scepticism among Congressmen, especially in light of Osama Bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad.

The CSR report cites that $8.9 billion has been disbursed to Pakistan as of May 2011 in the Coalition Support Funds thus far. The report also highlights Pakistan’s purchases of F-16 fighter jets and armaments out of its own pocket, in addition to those purchased with US aid grants.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12th, 2011.

COMMENTS (24)

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply

@Blithe: The NRO deal was done to give some Legitimacy to the very notion that Pak has democratically elected Govt in charge, however it not visualised that the GHQ will be running the policies !! Also it was well known as to the main player's reputations, however it was considered a price worth paying, in view of the fact that Pakistan simply did not have any political leaders who were not tarnished with previous cases of abuse of power and corruption !!! That my friend is the sad fact in Pakistan and its history too !!

Novice | 13 years ago | Reply

US govt is new EAST INDIA COMPANY and Pakistan needs a TEA PARTY not the aid.

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yousaf | 13 years ago | Reply we should not confuse aid with corruption these two are totally seperate entities.while aid is recent concept of one country helping other to overcome its current financial problems corruption on the other hand is as old as man himself,though today it has taken the form of an institution.while aid if used sensibely can be of great use and benificial corruption in all its forms is harmful,corruption in its multipronged and multifaced forms destroys the socioeconomic fabric.the present day quagmire of disintigrated social setup is all due to rampant corrution in all walks of life.corruption was there when there was no aid and it will remain when there will be no aid.the alternative for aid is trade and for trade there has to be a viable and efficient economic infrastructure to produce goods that can compete in the international market,for this we have to get rid of corruption so that those who matter can make policies and implement them in earnest it is quite an uphill task and can only be undertaken if the society is corruption free,the root of all evils is therefore corruption and only corruption.fight what is within us do not put blame on athers and we will need no aid.hence no dependence on others

yousaf | 13 years ago | Reply If wapda doesnt pull the plug again in about 10 minutes,as it has been doing so since early morning,I shall like to make some comments on aid and corruption!

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply Nobody is begging Pakistan to accept any aid. No self respecting nation beggs. There should not be any financial and military aid at all. Aid be sent in the form of books, educational, agricultural and healthcare, civilian infra structure and equipment. That way, the top civil and military officials would not be able to get their hands on the cash.

Mark | 13 years ago | Reply @Mark: Don't be dumb in my name.

sam | 13 years ago | Reply Dear US pls refrain from giving us any financial aid. while we realise it is given mainly to keep our governments mouth shut for half the stuff you arrogantly pull off in our country it also feeds the corrupt. i personally view the corrupt politicians and leaches... if you starve the body they feed on theyl have to find a new host. so in order to help rid us of these "leaches" plz stop giving us aid . thank you

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply @RK: Where is the problem in facing facts as i have stated??? Instead of whaffling around the issue it may help if you learn to face facts, as the rest of the world see it!!! Where in my comment is any mention of India or Indian??? Sooner you people get off this India Phobia, the better it will be for the People and the Nation too, as then you will be able to focus on issue at hand in Pakistan !!!!

saba kamran | 13 years ago | Reply @ amar i agree with your comment, we need financial assistance from America at the moment and the American authorities should realize that they should build the infrastructure on their own rather then giving it to the ministries. The pak-us ties is in a important stage and we don't want to mess it up.

Tariq Qureshi | 13 years ago | Reply @all.... If we get USAID out of the picture, will things deteriorate in Pakistan. Nope....... The simple fact is the money never reaches the intended use (if any). The idiots running the government can only plan till end of night that day. Simply put the government can be 50% of what it is, and will function 200% better as there will be 50% lesser hounds plundering internal resources. Has government of Pakistan ever tried to run like a business? The total budget of nation is $32 Billion, and a not so big HP has revenue of $47 Billion, and they dont run deficiet year after year.. None of the financial guru's sitting in government have ever run a P&L in their life, they are just glorified clerks? Give the financial management to the CFO of a multinational and you will know how to run the government. I know 99% of you will raise the flag of military spending? Ok, lets assume that the entire salaries expense is treated as a sunken cost, so lets divide the military man-hours 50;50 for military use and rest 50% for construction of dams, distribution networks, electrical grid, water reservoirs (Remember FWO & NLC). We wilk kill 2 birds with one stone. Outsource Wapda and KESC and see how a businessman will allow theft of power? If Government office or President House doesnt pay bill on time, let their electric die. See how suddenly the government offices will have 90% airconditioners running on 29 degrees instead of 24 today..............

amar | 13 years ago | Reply i think usa should help us in only development projects like dams,roads,energy generation,health and education instead of handing over cash to corrupt politicians and beaurocrats.the realty is common man couldnt see the fruits of usaid to pakistan except gommal zam dam build by usa

Mark | 13 years ago | Reply I agree with Pakistan tipping off the families that the CIA wants to murder before they're murdered by CIA drones. Better yet why doesn't Pakistan eradicate that drone base on Pakistani soil where the drones originate from? or shoot them down with their air force? Any other country would consider what the US is doing a clear invasion and violation of their airspace! And it's not the best idea to permit the CIA's chief terrorist to show up and "negotiate". The CIA's intentions are always evil, you can count on that.

RK | 13 years ago | Reply @Hedgefunder: you must be getting paid to spew/spread non-sensible comments and crap on this site. Judging from the speed you and some of your cronies post comments on just about every news release here, you must have nothing better to do than spread anti-Pakistan rhetoric and promote a subversive side of Indian propaganda. Please stop and engage yourself in a bit more constructive attitude.

sashayub | 13 years ago | Reply ...It would be safe to say that in fact, US aid is fueling corruption in Pakistan and not vice versa...a good example is the Pakistan Armed Forces and the US injections they get at the expense of national security.

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply @yousaf: There was trust element and responsible States do act and behave, however they never realised that this was Pakistan they were dealing with, Hence it took those Idiots in washington a decade to realise the reality on ground!! I sincerely believe that during Bush Administration, they simply were too busy with Iraq, and did turn Blind Eye to Pakistan and how its assistance was used, however in this present Administration in Washington, they are very keen towards accountablity and that Pakistan has never provided for its efforts on War on Terror!!!! One only has to see the level of attacks increase in pakistan over period and Judge as to what effort has Pak Army actually put in to arrest the problem, and the answer is not very good!!!!

Tariq Qureshi | 13 years ago | Reply USAID has never been used in country for benefiting the people. It has always been a vehicle to feed the corrupt leaderships so they can play as we want. Unfortunately announcing amounts to feed the media is good but why has it not been told that 50% amounts are expensed in USA, and rest passed in useless tasks. Look at Chinese and other countries example. In order to curb corruption they just come with their own eqpt, manpower and management to built dams, bridges, roads and deliver it in shortest possible time... thats it. Yes, US needs to seriously change the way they have done business in developing countries otherwise our foreign policy will suffer even more.

amjad | 13 years ago | Reply Please cut off aid to Pakistan as it does not help any one except for few elites. If USA wants to help Pakistan, then it should build some thing visible, which benefits common man. Examples: Power Plant, Dam, Hospitals, Trade Schools, Highway, Bridges and under one hundred percent supervision, or just facilitate trade. Any other aid is just enriching a few and creates more animosity among the haves and have nots, and also against America. Pakistan, has lot of resoueces to prosper on it own. This country has been too long on the crutches of US Aid. Enough is enougfh. No one will die in its absence. Take my word.

yousaf | 13 years ago | Reply I am at a loss to understand the nature of americas demands.on one hand she admits to have given 10 billion dollars since coalition and laments that nothing was done to check terrorism,on other hand she requires pakistan to eradicate corruption,be transparant in her doings,act against terrorists in the way that satisfies american govt,should make economic reforms that satisfy america and has to show sustained commitment and signficant effort in combating terrorist groups,groups such as lashkar taiba, jaish mohammad and above all alqaeda,all this for a promissed and yet to be approved by congess 3 billion.if pakistan can do half of what is being demanded then we are a super power!

Rafi | 13 years ago | Reply Please stop US and all other monetary assistance to Pakistan. Just give Pakistan assistance in education (in kind, not monetary). Monetary assistance just makes the problem worse - it strengthens the hold of the corrupt on the already narrowed jugular of the average Pakistani.

Blithe | 13 years ago | Reply And why did the US broker the NRO deal?

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply Nothing new here, accountability and transparency are two words which are alien to Pakistani establishment, hence the problem with the Aid. So much for their noises about Patriotism and Honour for their Nation and serving their people.

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply This is specifically the reason we in Kerry-Lugar Bill wanted an oversight of all US aid to Pakistan. However, the corrupt Ghairat Brigade came out against that at the behest of army and ISI. We the US taxpayers do not want to give a single penny to the people who protect the worst terrorists in their bases and double cross us. For 10 long years the army/ISI and Mush have received billions of $ from the US and not much to show for that. That is why US govt is under pressure by its taxpayers to make sure that the aid is spent in the areas it is intended for, especially for the uplift of the people and not the military officers.

aslambeig | 13 years ago | Reply those are US conditions pakistani conditions are funds once available should be immediately transferred to respective minister's account in switzerland

Ahmer Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.US leaders thanks for informing about the leaders' corruption and for your kind information Pakistani nation is fully aware of Pakistani leaders' corruption and not only the corruption is the biggest hindrance in US aid but the corruption is the also biggest hurdle in Pakistani economy and economic development.Because Pakistani leaders and corruption go together.

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