By Arun Kumar,IANS,
Washington : The United States has announced a $2 billion package of military aid to Pakistan even as it asked Islamabad to get tough with terrorists that threaten its neighbours, the world and Pakistan itself.
The five-year assistance package covering 2012-2016 was announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Friday at the start of the formal round of Washington-Islamabad strategic talks. The five-year deal is subject to Congressional approval.
With Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi sitting by her side, Clinton also made it clear that the US expects Islamabad to do more in the fight against terrorists saying: “These groups threaten the security first and foremost of the people of Pakistan, of neighbours, of the United States and indeed of the world.”
Pakistani and US officials had “productive discussions” this week about eliminating extremist groups operating in Pakistan, she said.
“United States has no stronger partner when it comes to counter-terrorism efforts against the extremists who threaten us both than Pakistan,” Clinton assured Pakistani officials, including powerful Pakistani army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, participating in the wide-ranging talks.
Clinton said President Barack Obama’s administration would ask the US Congress to approve the military assistance to complement the $7.5 billion in civilian projects it already has approved.
Qureshi said it was time to counter naysayers who argue that Islamabad’s heart is not in the fight against the insurgents. “Prophets of doom are back in business, painting doomsday scenarios about our alliance,” he said. “They are dead wrong.”
The US has given Pakistan more than $1 billion of military aid a year since 2005; last fiscal year, it gave nearly $2 billion.
The strategic dialogue is organized into 13 working groups, ranging from water and agriculture to communications and defence.