Strained relations
July 11, 2011
The United States have decided to withhold $800 million of military aid to Pakistan. However on Monday, Pakistan's army spokesperson, Major General Athar Abbas, said that his country had not received any official confirmation of the aid being suspended.
"The army in the past as well as at present, has conducted successful military operations using its own resources without any external support whatsoever," he added confidently, also referring to a recent statement made by the country's army chief General Ashfaq Kayani who recommended that US redirect its military aid for civilian concerns.
On Sunday, White House Chief of Staff William Daley confirmed the reports, telling ABC television that the US had decided to withhold almost a third of its security assistance to Pakistan.
$800 million
The amount of aid which Pakistan will lose comes to roughly $800 million and includes $300 million used to reimburse Pakistan for the deployment of nearly 100,000 US soldiers along its Afghan border.
It also affects equipment that Pakistan had refused to accept, such as rifles, ammunition, body armor and bomb disposal gear, as well as radios, night vision goggles and helicopter spare parts, which could not be set up in Pakistan as US officials who were trained in handling the equipment were not granted visas.
The decision will not have an impact on sales of F16 fighter jets to Pakistan or on non-military aid.
A strained bilateral relationship
The New York Times report suggests that the decision was also taken because there is a feeling that the Pakistani government has not done enough to combat terrorism. Relations between the two countries have been particularly strained since the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in May.
Daley also spoke of the May 2 raid in Abbottabad, which did substantial strain to bilateral ties. Although Daley accepted Pakistan's situation in the fight against terrorism, he said the relationship between the US and Pakistan was very complicated.
The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is quoted by the New York Times report as saying that "when it comes to our military aid, we are not prepared to continue providing at the pace we were providing it unless we see certain steps taken." The US has reportedly said it will resume equipment deliveries if Pakistan sticks to its promise to rout terrorists.
The cutbacks also come shortly after the top US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen suggested that the Pakistani government had "sanctioned" the murder earlier this year of the investigative journalist Saleem Shahzad.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani daily Dawn quoted diplomatic observers in Washington as saying that while the cuts would hurt Pakistan, the country's military was unlikely to follow the US's instructions. Last month, the Pakistani military requested that the US divert most of its aid to civilian sectors.
Author: Manasi Gopalakrishnan (Reuters, AFP, PTI)
Editor: Anne Thomas