By IANS,
Washington : Pakistan could get $2.8 billion in military aid from the US in addition to the proposed $7.5 billion civilian aid package spread over five years, a defence official has been quoted as saying.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the FOX News channel that the additional money would be spent on “equipping, training, and building infrastructure directly related to counter insurgency operations”.
Gen. David Petraeus, who heads the US Central Command, separately told the channel that the money would be provided under the “Pakistani Counter-insurgency Capability Fund”.
The money would be disbursed over five years, with $400 million in 2009, $700 million in 2010 and thereafter, $575 million a year between 2011 and 2013.
Quoting unnamed US officials, the channel said that the money would be spent in a way that would not give Pakistan a greater capacity to attack another country, such as India.
Unveiling his AfPak policy Friday, US President Barrack Obama said he would ask Congress to authorise $1.5 billion non-military aid for Pakistan every year for five years to enable it build up its infrastructure and institutions.
At the same time, he warned there would be no “blank cheque” and that Pakistan would have to live up to its commitment in the war against terror.