US Senators skeptical about effectiveness of billion dollars aid to Pak: Report

Washington, May 7 (ANI): While the Obama Administration is pushing for a tripled aid package to Pakistan amounting to about 1.5 billion dollars per year over the next five years to assist the troubled nation to expand its struggle against the Taliban and other extremist groups, several US Senators are skeptical about the effectiveness of the billions of dollars in thwarting terror.

Some of the US House members are of the view that Pakistan must be made more accountable for the financial help it receives, and want to string the aid with more conditions.

Heritage Foundation's Lisa Curtis believes that the conditions, which Pakistan has already condemned, are in response to US military officials' statements that there is still "unhelpful" relations between the Pakistani security forces and terror outfits operating in Afghanistan and in different parts of the region.

"Members of Congress want to ensure that US aid is not perversely undermining US objectives and security interests in Afghanistan," the CSM quoted Curtis, as saying.

The White House has also criticized the proposed conditions terming them as too rigid and unreasonable.

However, in response to the reservations of the White House over the issue, the House Foreign Affairs Committee has said that it wants Islamabad to abide by the promises it had made earlier to fight against the danger that is threatening both the countries.

"We are simply asking the Pakistanis to keep the commitments they have already made to fight the terrorists who threaten our national security and theirs, and that they make some progress doing so, with progress defined very broadly, which of these conditions are unreasonable or unattainable?" Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Howard Berman said. (ANI)