US takes notice of Bilawal's claims that federal govt misused $400m flood aid
The United States has taken notice of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's allegations against the Shehbaz Sharif-led government regarding the mismanagement of $400 million in flood relief aid.
Bilawal claimed the funds, which were intended to aid flood victims, had been appropriated by the federal government for unrelated purposes.
Bilawal asserted that he secured the $400 million in loans and aid from the World Bank, but the federal government had retained the money and was instead providing him with rupees, claiming these funds would be used for various projects.
He criticised the government’s failure to construct housing for flood victims, demanding that the funds be properly allocated.
Addressing the matter during a press briefing, US State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller emphasised the seriousness with which the US views the situation.
“We take this matter very seriously, not just in Pakistan but also wherever American taxpayer dollars are used and where urgent humanitarian interests are at stake,” Miller stated.
He further highlighted that the State Department and USAID have stringent systems in place to monitor and evaluate how aid is used, and that assistance would be halted if it is found to be misdirected or misused.
Few days ago, speaking at an event in Quetta, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the federal share should be given to Sindh and Balochistan as they are being treated unfairly.
Whether it's the $400 million World Bank loan or ongoing World Bank projects in Sindh, or the European Union's announced aid of €700 million, Bilawal stated that he collected all this funding as Pakistan's foreign minister and made appeals for help to the world alongside the Prime Minister.
He said the money is not being handed over to any federal or provincial bureaucrat; the provincial Department of Planning and Development is safeguarding it.
He emphasised that they have outsourced the project to ensure transparency.
The project is funded by the World Bank, the Sindh government, and the federal government, with additional funds secured.
He questioned why all these promises could not be fulfilled for Balochistan, calling it an injustice to the province.
Bilawal stated that the $400 million loan he obtained from the World Bank has been kept by the federal government, which is instead providing him with rupees, claiming it will be used for projects.
He criticized the federal government for not constructing a single house over the past years and urged that the flood victims be reached with the funds.