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Friday, May 13, 2011
Pakistan to get $300m under CSF programmeKARACHI: Pakistan is likely to get $300 million from the United States for costs incurred in fighting militants, officials said on Thursday, at a time the US legislators have been questioning aid to Pakistan after Osama bin Laden was found there.
The funds are part of a so-called Coalition Support Fund (CSF), a US programme to reimburse countries that have incurred costs supporting counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. “Pakistan should receive $300 million soon,” said a Pakistani finance official who declined to be identified.
The United States has reimbursed Pakistan $7.4 billion under the CSF programme since 2001, when Pakistan joined the US-led campaign against militancy. Funds that come in through the CSF are not officially designated as US foreign aid.
Some US lawmakers have questioned whether Pakistan was serious about fighting militants after the US special forces found and killed al Qaeda leader bin Laden in Abbottabad on May 2. Some of them have called for a suspension of aid but the US administration has stressed the importance of maintaining cooperation with the uneasy ally in the interests of battling militancy and bringing stability to neighbouring Afghanistan. Pakistan has rejected accusations that it was either incompetent in tracking down the man behind the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States or complicit in hiding him in Abbottabad. reuters
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk