US to ensure 'highest standards of accountability' for Pak aid : US official

Islamabad, Aug.29 (ANI): The United States would like to ensure the 'highest standards of accountability' in utilization of aid being provided to Pakistan by the Obama administration in order to make sure that the funds are being utilized exactly for the purpose it is allotted for, a top US official has said.

Interacting with media persons at the US embassy here, the US Coordinator for Economic Development and Assistance to Pakistan, Robin Raphael, said ensuring transparency in the utilization of assistance would be a key benchmark.

"We want to ensure highest standards of accountability. We want to be clear where the money is going and how it is going," The Daily Times quoted Raphael, as saying.

Commenting on the huge amount of administrative costs which is likely to be incurred, Raphael said every effort would be made to minimize the high intermediation charges.

She, however, highlighted that Washington would need foreign technical expertise in certain areas while working to lower the administrative costs.

According to an estimate, Pakistan would receive only the half of the actual monetary assistance promised by the United States, as a huge amount of money is likely to be deducted for administrative costs.

Commenting on the increasing energy needs of Pakistan, Raphael said US is considering investing hugely in the energy sector, including hydel power generation, to help the county overcome its energy crisis.

When asked about the reconstruction opportunity zones (ROZs) programme, she said America was also working to expand the area for ROZs, which were previously planned only for the war ravaged Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). (ANI)