ISLAMABAD, 16 June 2006 — The United States will not scale back its aid commitment to Islamabad, the US Ambassador said yesterday, following media reports that Congress had proposed cuts over Pakistan’s democracy and rights record.
US ambassador Ryan Crocker said there would be no cut to the full amount promised in 2003 — $3 billion over five years up to 2009.
“We are a democracy, Congress has its views, but I would like to make it very clear that this administration is totally committed to providing the full amount,” Crocker said following a signing ceremony for an agreement on $200 million in budgetary support.
An agreement to this affect was signed here yesterday between Pakistan’s Minister of State for Economic Affairs Division Hina Rabbani Khar and the US ambassador. This aid is part of US commitment of three billion dollars meant for economic development, social sector programs and development of democracy in Pakistan as pledged by US President George W. Bush in June 2003.
Pakistan is a key US ally in the war on terrorism, but critics point to a nuclear proliferation scandal involving the country’s top nuclear scientist, as well as its track record in areas such as human rights and democracy.
Some US officials also say Pakistan is not doing enough to stop Taleban insurgents from using areas on the Pakistan side of the Afghan border to launch attacks on US and other troops in Afghanistan. Half of the $3 billion promised in 2003 was economic assistance and half was military aid.
— Additional input from agencies
