US has 'benchmarks' ready for Pakistan: Holbrooke

Lahore, May 14 (ANI): US Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has said there are certain benchmarks ready for Pakistan that would go together with the huge aid which the Obama administration is planning to provide.

Responding to Senator Robert Menendez question over expanding funding for Pakistan's military, Holbrooke said : "We do have a comprehensive strategy and we do have benchmarks."

Citing a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, that stated that the Bush administration had not met its national security 'goals' to destroy terrorist havens in Pakistan, Menendez expressed concerns over misuse of billion of dollars in aid, The Daily Times reported.

"I'm reticent to continuously vote for more money without knowing that there is a strategic plan," he said.

In response to Menendez's speculations', Holbrooke asserted that senators should not 'penalise' the Obama administration for the 'mismanagement' by the previous one. (ANI)