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Washington:
Several American Senators have sought assurance from the Obama administration that nearly $500 million financial aid being doled out to Pakistan would not be misused; particularly the funds would not end up being used against India, as has happened in the past.
As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defence Secretary Robert Gates went to the Capitol Hill seeking immediate approval of the Administration's proposal to give money to Pakistan to successfully fight out the terrorists, Senators raised questions over the seriousness by the Pakistani establishment on this issue.
Appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee, both Clinton and Gates were at pains to explain things are a bit different this time and tried to convince the Senators that the Obama Administration would make sure that mistakes of the Bush era are not repeated when the fresh lot of civilian and military aid is given to Pakistan.
When Gates sought approval of $400 million, Senator Mark Pryor said there has been no accountability of the money given to Pakistan in the past.
"My belief is that they've been taking at least some of our money, maybe most or all of our money, and actually moving it over to the eastern side of their country, using it to beef up their defence, et cetera, against India rather than helping in the international effort that we wanted them to help on in the other parts of their country," he said.
As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defence Secretary Robert Gates went to the Capitol Hill seeking immediate approval of the Administration's proposal to give money to Pakistan to successfully fight out the terrorists, Senators raised questions over the seriousness by the Pakistani establishment on this issue.
Appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee, both Clinton and Gates were at pains to explain things are a bit different this time and tried to convince the Senators that the Obama Administration would make sure that mistakes of the Bush era are not repeated when the fresh lot of civilian and military aid is given to Pakistan.
When Gates sought approval of $400 million, Senator Mark Pryor said there has been no accountability of the money given to Pakistan in the past.
"My belief is that they've been taking at least some of our money, maybe most or all of our money, and actually moving it over to the eastern side of their country, using it to beef up their defence, et cetera, against India rather than helping in the international effort that we wanted them to help on in the other parts of their country," he said.
