Pak army denies receiving direct funding from US

Islamabad, May 24: The Pakistan Army has denied it receives direct funding to the tune of one billion dollars from the United States for its participation in the 'war on terror'.

Private Online news agency quoted an Army spokesman denying a media report that the Army was receiving money directly from the US and there was no accountability of this funding.

The spokesman said the Army was not getting any reimbursement or financial support directly from any country.

'' The Army, like all other state institutions, asks the government for financial assistance through a well-institutionalised and transparent framework and all its expenditures are subject to checks and audit,'' the spokesman added.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Mahmood Ali Durrani said Pakistan was only a 'shopkeeper' and the money received was spent on services for the US only.

He told Voice of America that he faced problems in Washington instead of cooperation because the media had created a very negative image of Pakistan.

UNI