Reimbursement: US senators want $1.1b released

Pentagon intends to submit $1.1b to reimburse funds Islamabad has spent on counterterrorism operations.

With the Nato supply lines to Afghanistan open for business once again, top US senators on Tuesday said $1.1 billion in funds, held up for months, should be released to Pakistan, albeit cautiously, according to an Associated Press report.

Talking to reporters, Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin said “What they (Pakistan) have done is presumably earned it by the amount of money they’ve laid out in terms of their anti-terrorist activity and protecting our lines.”

The Pentagon intends to submit $1.1 billion in approved requests to reimburse funds Islamabad has spent on counterterrorism operations.

While the US Congress has already approved the reimbursement, the funds have been on hold for months. Senator Levin, along with Senator Lindsey Graham are pushing to approve the release.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2012.