*LAHORE: *The $150 million in the United States (US) Department of Defence(DOD) funding authorised for the financial year 2019 is dedicated toPakistan’s border security operations, a US embassy spokesperson said onSaturday.
“The $150 million in DOD funding is meant for Pakistan’s border securityoperations,” the spokesman said, a media report has surfaced.
Earlier on Thursday, the US Congress had approved a $716.3 billion DefenceAuthorisation Bill (DAB) but only $150 million was meant for Islamabad.
This marks a sharp decline in security aid as it had originally variedfrom $750 million to $1 billion per year.
Financial assistance conditions pertaining to the Haqqani Network andthe Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were also relaxed by the US.
The spokesperson also said, “The funding is a clear sign of our commitmentto improved security for both Pakistan and Afghanistan and we hope thatPakistan takes the necessary steps to enable the disbursement of thisassistance.”
“We consistently engage with both civilian and military Pakistani officialsat the highest levels in an effort to place our relationship with Pakistanon more solid and sustainable footing to advance our mutual interests,” theUS embassy spokesperson explained.
“Pakistan and the US have a shared commitment to defeat all terroristgroups that threaten regional stability and to work together toward apeaceful future for Afghanistan,” the spokesperson added.
Responding to a question regarding the easing of conditions associated withLeT and Hafiz Saeed is a move to get Pakistan to aid in the Afghan peaceprocess, the spokesperson said, “No as no country has more to gain from apeaceful Afghanistan than Pakistan.”
“We continue to call on Pakistan to arrest, expel, or bring the Talibanleadership to the negotiating table,” the spokesperson explained.
On a question regarding whether the US is moving closer to accepting thatSaeed is not a terrorist, the spokesperson asserted, “The Administration’sposition is unchanged and we continue to press Pakistan to target allterrorist groups without discrimination, including the Taliban, HaqqaniNetwork and LeT.”
“We stand ready to work with Pakistan to combat terrorist groups withoutdistinction,” the spokesperson further said.
This comes at a time when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on July 31warned the International Monetary Fund (IMF) against aiding Pakistan.