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Neighboring country Pakistan, which is surviving on China’s crumbs, is now looking forward to American aid. America is also constantly trying to woo Pakistan. Meanwhile, there is news that outgoing US President Joe Biden is going to give Pakistan $101 million in aid. The US administration has sought a budget of $101 million from the House of Representatives to strengthen democracy in Pakistan, fight terrorism, stabilize the faltering economy and support human rights.
The big thing is that such a huge amount for Pakistan has been demanded from the US House by the same person whom former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had accused of toppling his government in 2022. US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu told a committee of the US Parliament on Tuesday that he has presented a written budget request for South and Central Asian affairs before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives.
Lu also said that Pakistan is currently facing many challenges. He said that this money will strengthen democracy in Pakistan, help fight terrorism and stabilize the faltering economy by supporting economic reforms and debt management. Lu said, “The President’s budget directs the implementation of our $101 million Pakistan budget.”
Let us tell you that America has been constantly pressuring Pakistan to maintain democratic values. Last month, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution with a huge majority, expressing concern over the situation of democracy and human rights in Pakistan. Then Islamabad reacted strongly to this and called the US concerns baseless. Apart from this, Washington has repeatedly emphasized its “shared interests” with Pakistan in dealing with the serious threat posed by terrorism in the entire Central Asian region.
A report in Pakistani newspaper Dawn says that this financial aid from the US will not only try to reduce Pakistan’s dependence on China but will also try to undermine the China-Russia alliance in the direction of creating regional balance. It is believed that this amount can be used to increase surveillance in Pakistan’s border areas, especially in Afghanistan and northern parts.
Let us tell you that during a rally in Islamabad in 2022, former Prime Minister Khan had shown a paper (allegedly a copy of a diplomatic letter) and claimed that it was evidence of a conspiracy hatched against his government by a foreign power. He made this claim while referring to US diplomat Donald Lu, who was at the center of this controversy. Now the same Lu is becoming the savior of Pakistan’s Shahbaz Sharif.
