NewsMonday, April 23, 2007
Aid money did not reduce poverty: BBISLAMABAD: Benazir Bhutto, chairwoman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), has asked the government to explain why it had not used huge monetary grants given to Pakistan after 9/11 to address poverty in the country. “Islamabad received nearly $5 billion in aid, another $100 million every month besides an equivalent amount in covert transfers in the last six years, but the people have not benefited from the money,” Bhutto said while addressing the Pakistani community in Denmark on Sunday. “USAID figures indicate that between 1954 and 2002, Washington provided $12.6 billion in economic and military aid to Pakistan. Of this, 75% ($9.19 billion) went to military rulers over 25 years and 25% ($3.4 billion) to civilian governments over 19 years,” she said. Bhutto said that Pakistan faced enormous problems, which could not be solved through the model of a rentier military class. She said that the military operation in Balochistan threatened Pakistan’s unity. She urged the government to disband militias to “save our people from sectarianism and religious persecution”. agencies
Courtesy DailyTimes.com.pk