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Pakistan will not receive $300 million in military reimbursements from the United States due to Islamabad’s lack of action against the Haqqani terrorist network operating from its safe havens in Pakistan.
A US official has said the Pentagon Chief Ash Carter has decided not to tell Congress that Pakistan was taking adequate action against the Haqqani network.
“The funds could not be released to the Government of Pakistan at this time because the Secretary has not yet certified that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network,” Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump quoted by Reuters said on Wednesday.
The $300 million comes under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), a U.S. Defense Department program to reimburse allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-terrorist and counter-insurgency operations. Pakistan is the largest recipient.
“This decision does not reduce the significance of the sacrifices that the Pakistani military has undertaken over the last two years,” Stump added.
According to Pentagon data, about $14 billion has already been paid to Pakistan under the CSF since 2002.
The step by Pentagon not to pay the amount to Pakistan comes as the Afghan officials have long been criticizing Pakistan for allowing the militant groups, specifically the Taliban group and the notorious Haqqani terrorist network to use its soil for planning and coordinating attacks in Afghanistan.
The Haqqani terrorist network is accused of numerous deadly attacks in Afghanistan including a horrific attack on VIP protection unity in Kabul earlier this year that left at least 64 dead and over 300 others wounded. -KP
THE PASHTUN TIMES
