Brown pledges 665 million pounds in aid to Pakistan

London, Apr 29 (ANI): British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday pledged 665 million pounds over the next four years to help Pakistan with counter-terrorism operations as well as education and economic assistance.

Of this amount 125 million pounds will be earmarked for supporting education projects in the border area 'in an effort to stop the spread of extremism.'

One of the primary aims of UK support, he said, would be to "stop young people falling under the sway of violent extremists."

Unveiling in the House of Commons what is being touted as Britain's new policy for Pakistan and Afghanistan but which mirror's US President Barack Obama's policy for the same announced in March, Brown said there was a 'chain of terror' linking the border area between the two countries to the UK.

Therefore, he said, co-ordinated action was needed to tackle terrorist threats there, The Dawn reported.

Brown, who visited Afghanistan and Pakistan earlier this week, said the lawless borderlands between the two countries are a 'crucible of global terrorism' which ultimately threaten the security of the UK.

Britain would take 'more determined and concerted action' to deal with the problem, Brown said.

He said that efforts to counter extremism must be concentrated on those areas where al-Qaeda and the Taleban operate with impunity.

'Our approach to Pakistan and Afghanistan is different, but must be complementary,' he said. (ANI)