Pakistan army has called a corps commanders meeting with one agenda item: to evolve a strategy in response to United States' decision to suspend $800 million aid to Pakistan, defence sources disclosed. The White House has withheld some $800 million in military aid to Pakistan, including $300 million of the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) in a show of displeasure over its cutback on US trainers, limits on visas for US personnel and other bilateral irritants.
Defence sources said that Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Pervez Kayani called the meeting of corps commanders to discuss Pak-US relations in the aftermath of the aid suspension. However, the exact date of corps commanders meeting is yet to be decided, sources added.
The spokesman of Pak Army Major General Athar Abbas, however, said that Pakistan army did not receive any formal or official intimation of suspension of $800 million military aid to Pakistan. Therefore, the army would not comment on the issue. He also recalled that during the 139th corps commanders meeting, it was recommended that the Pakistan government divert US funds meant for military to economic development thereby benefiting the common man. He further explained that the military is already engaged in destroying extremist hideouts and insurgents in Mohmand Agency and other parts of the country's western border by mobilising domestic resources. The loss of aid would have no effect on military operations against militants in the country, he said.
The $800 million military aid is for equipment used for counter terrorism. Minister for Defence Ahmed Mukhtar had already cautioned that any additional funds required to purchase military equipment would be met through Armed Forces Development Programme (AFDP) as after Abbottabad incident, the flow of aid from US is not up to the mark.
Sources said that army would receive an amount of Rs 80 billion under this 10-year AFDP programme. During a recent briefing to the National Assembly Standing Committee, Defence Secretary Lieutenant General Syed Athar Ali (Retd) had requested $1.5 billion (Rs 128 billion) for the AFDP. The government, which has allocated Rs 495 billion for defence in the current budget 2011-12, will bear the additional military expenditures of AFDP, defence sources said.
The $28 billion AFDP began in 2004-05 and was initially estimated at a total of $15 billion to be completed by 2014-15. It was later enhanced to $28 billion to be completed by 2024-25. Defence sources said that the government is allocating over $1 billion annually to cater to the country's defence needs, which include acquisition of latest weapons, aircraft and enhancing the country's weapons manufacturing capability.