In is indeed very hot news for the readers those are working in any US led project, that the United States stopped further aid, to Pakistan including other ally’s states. In fact it is the old US, tactic when she wants some favor, then it implied ban on allies like Pakistan or stops their aid.
The reader also remembered the issue of F-16 jects, when united states stop their supply although that time Pakistan was its first row ally against war on terror in Afghanistan.
In the recent past, according to a report In January 2018, during his first term, President Trump criticized Pakistan, claiming the US had “foolishly handed over $33 billion in aid over 15 years” with little in return. He accused Pakistan of providing “safe havens to terrorists” operating in Afghanistan and vowed to end the assistance.
Therefor the fresh delay in US, aid is very alarming because now a days Pakistan is facing serious economic problems and the donors can play vital role in reducing these problems.
The ban on Pakistan can harm the running projects therefor the critics says that government of Pakistan should take strict action against it and make liaison with US officials to take relaxation for the country like Egypt and Israel.
If we have a look at the issue, the countries considered allies of the US have also come under the ban, including Pakistan, Taiwan, Turkey, as well as African, Asian and Latin American states. However, military funding for Israel and Egypt will continue.
According to the news reports that move has halted several key development projects in Pakistan, with US officials confirming that Pakistan is not the only country affected by this temporary aid suspension.
The suspended programs include those related to cultural preservation, energy, economic, agriculture, education, health, democracy, human rights and governance. However, the US Secretary of State will review their final status within 90 days.
This move has instantly stopped many important USAID projects in Pakistan, including the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), the flagship Programme to promote cultural heritage preservation and protection. Additionally, five projects related to the energy sector have also been halted. They include Power Sector Improvement Activity, Pakistan Private Sector Energy Activity, Energy Sector Advisory Services Project, Clean Energy Loan Portfolio Guarantee Program and Pakistan Climate Financing Activity.
Economic growth-related four projects were also affected. Among them, Social Protection Activity was the only Programme supposed to end in 2025. Others include Investment Promotion Activity, Pakistan Private Investment Initiative and Economic Recovery and Development Activity. Luckily, the $24.8 million FATA Economic Revitalization Programme, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme has already been completed.
In the agriculture sector, two of the five programs were expected to end in 2025. They include Water Management for Enhanced Productivity and Pakistan Agriculture Programme II. Trump’s orders also impacted democracy, human rights and governance funds. Four of these 11 projects were expected to be completed in 2025. In the education sector, one of the four projects, Improving Girls Education Activity, was expected to be completed in 2025. A similar Programme, Higher Education System Strengthening Activity and Education Resilience Activity that focused on Sindh and KP are also halted.
In the health sector, Integrated Health Systems Strengthening and Service Delivery, Tuberculosis Local Organization Network, Tuberculosis Implementation Framework Agreement, Building Healthy Families and Global Health Security Programme were also paused.
As soon as President Trump assumed the presidency, he has raised so many issues on the domestic as well as foreign policy fronts through his executive orders that it seems difficult to deal with them until the US Congress elections in two years.
We know that when the US, elections campaign was continued the critics alarmed that if Donald trump wins his policies towards Pakistan could be very harsh and now he is showing policies. so Pakistan well have to be alert for trump adminstration actions. It will be very good foreign policies to not participate in polar politics and feel free to makes ties with bifacial countries like Iran and Russia for batter socioeconomic future.
