WASHINGTON – The United States on Saturday made the final decision tocancel another $300 million — or Rs36.9 billion — in aid to Pakistan thathad been halted over what the former claims is the latter’s failure to takedecisive action against militants.
The so-called Coalition Support Funds (CSF) were part of a broadersuspension in aid to Pakistan announced by US President Donald Trump at thestart of the year when he accused Pakistan of rewarding past assistancewith “nothing but lies & deceit.”
In a new blow to deteriorating ties, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, whohad an opportunity to authorise the said $300 million in CSF funds throughthis summer — if he saw concrete Pakistani actions to go after insurgents —chose not to do so, despite some US officials having held out thepossibility that Islamabad could win back that support if it changed itsbehaviour.
“Due to a lack of Pakistani decisive actions in support of the South AsiaStrategy the remaining $300 (million) was reprogrammed,” Lieutenant ColonelKone Faulkner, the spokesperson, said, adding that the Pentagon aimed tospend this money on “other urgent priorities” if approved by US Congress.
Faulkner said another $500 million in CSF was stripped by the Congress fromPakistan earlier this year, which brings the total withheld funds to $800million.