Bill introduced in US House to end non-defence aid to Pakistan
A bill was introduced in the United states House of Representatives to end non-defence aid to Pakistan as it "provides military aid and intelligence" to terrorists. It sought that the amount be redirect to infrastructure projects in the country.
Introduced by Congressmen Mark Sanford from South Carolina and Thomas Massie from Kentucky, the legislation will prohibit the US State Department and the United States Agency for International Development from sending American taxpayer money to Pakistan.
Instead, these funds will be redirected to the Highway Trust Fund, the account that pays for road infrastructure in the US.
The lawmakers alleged that Pakistan "knowingly" provides resources to terrorists.
Massie
said
the
US
should
not
funnel
money
to
a
government
that
"provides
military
aid
and
intelligence
to
terrorists".
This
common-sense
bill
puts
America
first
by
reallocating
tax
dollars
to
roads
and
bridges
at
home
instead
of
funnelling
money
overseas,
he
added.
Sanford said, "When the American people support other nations, our generosity shouldn't be used to reward terrorists with US taxpayer dollars. Couple this with the fact that the Highway Trust Fund will be USD 111 billion short by 2026, and it simply makes financial sense to repurpose these funds for our infrastructure."
Senator Rand Paul, who introduced the companion legislation in the Senate, said we fail to protect the country and steward taxpayers' hard-earned money when we support countries that chant "death to America and burn our flag".
"Let's bring that money home and use it to help rebuild our infrastructure instead of giving it to a nation that persecutes Christians and imprisons people such as the doctor that helped us get Osama bin Laden," he said.
The US, post 9/11, has provided nearly USD 34 billion in aid to Pakistan, including USD 526 million in 2017 alone.
PTI