US Senate grants 900-million-dollar aid to Pakistan

Washington, May 15 (ANI): The US Senate Appropriations Committee has approved about 900 million dollars in economic and security aid for Pakistan which is battling Taliban, spilling over its border with Afghanistan.

The Senate allocated 91.3 billion dollars measure to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through September 30, the Dawn reports.

The House bill has about 1 billion dollars for Pakistan, which includes 3.1 billion dollars for buying eight Boeing Co C-17s and 11 Lockheed Martin C-130 transport planes.

The Senate bill does not have any provision for the planes.

Next week, the full Senate is expected to take up its version and any differences with the House will be sorted out.

A single version will be passed by both chambers before the legislation can be sent to Obama for his signature.

The senate panel didn't include 80 million dollars, which were requested by President Barack Obama for shuttering the US detention prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where terrorism suspects are being held.

However, the measure walls off 50 million dollars from the administration until a plan is submitted on how it plans to deal with the prisoners, according to the committee.

The US House of Representatives, however, rejected Obama's plea and offerd no money. (ANI)