US lawmakers approve cut in Pakistan aid: Report
US lawmakers approve amendment to cut the US aid to Pakistan by half.
The US House of Representatives has approved an amendment which would cut US aid to Pakistan by half, bringing the amount down to $650 million, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday.
Calling Pakistan the “Benedict Arnold” of nations, Representative Ted Poe complained about the level of Islamabad’s cooperation in the fight against terrorism, the report said. It added that the members of the Congress were particularly angry with Pakistan’s conviction of Dr Shakil Afridi, who conducted a fake polio vaccination in order to help CIA track down al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.
“Pakistan doesn’t deserve the American money,” Poe was quoted as saying.
According to a report by Politico, Poe had first demanded a $1.3 billion cut from Pakistan’s military aid and had initially won the endorsement of Representative Bill Young, but later a cut of $650 million was settled upon.
The Politico report also quoted Poe as saying that Pakistan is “playing” America.
The unsteady relations between Pakistan and the US were coming back on track when Pakistan reopened the Nato supply routes in return for an apology offered by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But this cut in aid may harm the ongoing efforts between the two countries to maintain a balanced relation.
Calling Pakistan the “Benedict Arnold” of nations, Representative Ted Poe complained about the level of Islamabad’s cooperation in the fight against terrorism, the report said. It added that the members of the Congress were particularly angry with Pakistan’s conviction of Dr Shakil Afridi, who conducted a fake polio vaccination in order to help CIA track down al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.
“Pakistan doesn’t deserve the American money,” Poe was quoted as saying.
According to a report by Politico, Poe had first demanded a $1.3 billion cut from Pakistan’s military aid and had initially won the endorsement of Representative Bill Young, but later a cut of $650 million was settled upon.
The Politico report also quoted Poe as saying that Pakistan is “playing” America.
The unsteady relations between Pakistan and the US were coming back on track when Pakistan reopened the Nato supply routes in return for an apology offered by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But this cut in aid may harm the ongoing efforts between the two countries to maintain a balanced relation.