By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistan Monday received $656 million from the United States under the Coalition Support Fund to reimburse the expense incurred while conducting operations against violent extremism in 2009.
The annual reimbursement known as Coalition Support Funds (CSF) is intended to aid in Pakistan’s fight against terrorists and in achieving the mutually shared goals of peace and stability in Pakistan and in the region, the US embassy said in a statement here.
So far, the US has reimbursed Pakistan approximately $7.2 billion since 2001 when it established CSF to support 27 nations for some of the costs incurred by the governments in the fight against terrorism.
A compensation of $349 was delivered to Pakistan in January on the basis of CSF claims received from Islamabad for the year 2008. Claim for additional payments under the fund is also being processed for 2009, Online news agency reported.
The US civilian and security assistance to Pakistan has totalled more than $4 billion over the last three years. The financial assistance also include support for medical aid, school refurbishment, bridge and well reconstruction, food distribution, agricultural and education projects.
Security assistance includes supply of 14 F-16 fighter aircraft, 10 Mi-17 helicopters, more than 450 vehicles for Pakistan’s Frontier Corps, hundreds of night vision goggles, radios, and thousands of protective vests and first-aid items for Pakistani security forces.
Besides, US has also provided intelligence, logistic and various other counter-terrorism training to more than 370 Pakistani military officers.