US offers 1 bn dollar aid to Pak to check extremism

Washington, July 18: The United States has offered over one billion dollars as economic and military aid to Pakistan in support of its actions against extremists and its efforts to build a democratic Islamic state.

Talking to mediapersons yesterday, Assistant Secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher said the United States planned to spend 750 million dollars over five years on education, health and economic projects in the tribal areas of Pakistan in support of its program to integrate the remote region into a national economy.

He said the Bush administration hoped to find an additional 300 million dollar or more to help revamp the Pakistani army's 85,000-member Frontier Corps which patrols the border region.

'' While civilian aid may offer the best long-term solution to combat the extremists, some are very violent and will probably have to be dealt with militarily," Mr Boucher said.

He said the Pakistan government's handling of the armed revolt at Islamabad's Red Mosque showed decisive action against extremism.
He also pointed at the recent arrests of Taliban fighters and the return of government forces to Pakistan's tribal areas as evidence of the government's seriousness about fighting violent militancy.

Al-Qaida had exploited the September 2006 Waziristan Agreement and expanded its operations in the tribal areas. Under that agreement, the government withdrew forces from the area with the understanding that the tribals elders would protect the region against infiltration from Taliban and al-Qaida militants.

However, al-Qaida took advantage of the situation to meet, plan, recruit and obtain financing in the tribal areas.

The Assistant Secretary said some military action would be necessary to deal with the situation.

UNI