How would you spend non-military aid?

How would you spend non-military aid?

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US Senator John Kerry arrived in Pakistan on Monday to discuss a proposed bill envisaging US$1.5 billion of economic assistance per year to Pakistan over the next five years. During his visit, Senator Kerry, who is also the Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will touch on regional and security issues in meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, but the focus will be on future civilian and military aid.

If you could share a cup of tea with Senator Kerry during his stay in Islamabad, what would you ask him about the US’s plan for non-military assistance to Pakistan? How do you think non-military aid, which Pakistan is due to receive under the Kerry-Lugar bill, should be spent? What would you suggest Senator Kerry insist upon during meetings with the Pakistani leadership on how to distribute and allocate civilian aid?

 

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191 Responses to “How would you spend non-military aid?”

  1. Gaurav Arya says:

    I have seen a lot of comments on this page.

    The war on terror is not America’s war. It is Pakistan’s war. Swat and the entire tribal areas are not in Washington. They are in Pakistan. Thousands of km of your country is now in the hands of the Taliban, who do not pay taxes or recognize the government of Pakistan. The threat to your soveriegnity is not from USA. They will finally go back one day. Taliban are here to stay. They are a few kms from Islamabad. I am extremely surprised that Pakistanis are still blaming USA for their problems.

    Pakistan must develop its internal capabilities. That is the only way out.

  2. mashal says:

    Surely, it is the most important part of external aid once it is obtained with high political and economic costs. How to use this aid and which sectors will be more productive, has to be identified beforehand. wastage should not be an option. the aid must go to areas and sectors that reduces social unrest and produce incentive fro the young people to join the mainstream instead of looking to Taliban Militancy or nationalist uprisings in Balochistan.

  3. Imran Khan, Timergara says:

    That must not be a problem for our politicians. They know how to use that for non military purposes…
    This aid should be used on Heath, Education and Communication.

  4. TM says:

    The Priorities should be as follows:

    1- Peace in every aspect of life, from politics, business to daily life
    2- Concentration of non-physical entities via social reform, marketing. Security is a weird thing, when you are insecure you put others security in jeopardy. Use it as a tactic. I remember back in 80’s in Rawalpindi, a serial killer [used hammer] emerged, repeated murders, so much that it was widely published and people were so vigilant that almost everyone stopped going out after 8pm. The only one on street were either police or serial killer. within a few days he got caught by police. Vigilance & action by everyone enhances security. life returned to normal soon.
    3- Revitalization of inherent strengths, like textile industry, sports equipment exports, medical equipment, list goes on. Assess what was lost over decades, recalibrate the same equilibrium.
    4- Invest in education, infrastructure, business
    5- Small Business, Technology and Economic Development
    6- Education, Children and Family Development
    7- Community Development, Transportation and Infrastructure
    8- Health, Social Development, Public Safety, Environment

  5. sabir hussain says:

    How we can build Pakistan
    Pakistan can only be build with justice and education.
    If money is used to provide basic need like food shelter,water and electricity ,than masses will move forward for education.
    Without basic facilities,we cannot expect any progress,first come food,second come shelter,third come comfort(availibility of water and electricity)and then come education.
    spend money so we may see result,

  6. Agha Ata says:

    I will tell Senator John Kerry that the only wise thing for the USA is to get involved in actual spending of the aid in Pakistan. The best way, and probably the ONLY sensible way to spend American dollars of the said aid, in Pakistan, is to have American experts present in Pakistan where money spending experts of Pakistan are planning to do their job. And they should be right there to suggest, change, and stop any cent being spent in an undesirable way. Besides, there should also be American auditors to check, if the approved plan is being executed in an honest manner. Short of this, any plan is bound to fail, for the USA, at least.

  7. Satya Issar says:

    I think that the problems that Pakistan and India are facing is directly linked to religious bigotry on both sides but also equally to financial mismanagement in Pakistan. Admittedly Indian are also equally corrupt but at least they are generating money on their own while Pakistan is not.

    Unfortunately Pakistan is dependent on others to bail them out who will want to see their money or resources used in ways they like. Pakistanis want to get others to help them out but then not to attatch ‘conditions’. Sadly this won’t happen. Tragedy for the rest of the world is that the militancy and religious orthodoxy in Pakistan will hurt them, as much as it is, and will be hurting Pakistan. On one hand West wants to give aid to Pakistan to protect from the looming danger to themselves, but do want to see that their aid is not fritted away as happened during Gen. Musharraf’s time . So long Pakistani Government and politicians do not realise that they must swallow their pride and help to eradicate the common enemy , the danger to everyone will not go away. And everyone will suffer.

  8. M.FraazJamshed says:

    I believe the best way to spend ain would be to invest in industrial infrasture,education and health.Aid should be divided into two parts one should be used for the maintaninance of the existing infrastructure oad the other part should be for the development of new infrastructure

  9. Mahendra says:

    The money should be spent in 3 fields – education, education and education. Education on sciences and arts, education in democracy and secularism (every Pakistani has the same rights irrespective of his religion), and philosophy of all religions. Otherwise Pakistanis will have opportunity to flourish only in non-Muslim countries and Pakistan will become another Afghanistan.

  10. N.Piracha says:

    This nation will stand on its feet only if we all start paying Taxes and stop stealing electricity.

  11. Amjad Ayub says:

    I agree with the majority who made suggestion and comments for the better utilization of the Grant/Aid. The kind and generous government of America should focus on the following if they want to achieve desireable results.

    • Education: (illiteracy is the root cause of fundamentalism and militancy)
    Facility of good education should not be limited to urban areas only. People living in rural and remote areas should get equally opportunity. Unless we do not educate the masses of rural area, we can not get the desired results. It is therefore,imperative to give quality education to poor and rural people. Through this exposure, they will be able to understand the difference between the real Islam and the Islam of Mullah.

    • Health: People living in rural areas are deprived of quality health care. Through this grant, there should be hospitals and health centers in less focused and remote areas. It should not comprise of a building but equipped with modern diagnostic tools and qualified doctors.

    • Creation of Jobs: unemployment rate is very high again in the rural areas therefore. Many youngsters migrate to urban areas in search of jobs, though, they do not get an appropriate job to live a respectful life they end up in the hands of criminals who attract them with good incentives and better life, and in return, they ask them to commit crimes. To eliminate the crimes we should create jobs in their own environment. Once they will live with family they will be better supervised and will not indulge in heinous crimes.

    • Investment in judicial reform, restructuring of policing system, and respectful salaries for government employees will bring tangible results.

    I request the US government to supervise/monitor each project directly and make sure that the project is sustainable. Please, please do not give money but a skill in shape of education and a project sustainable and beneficial for the poor people of Pakistan. We must learn the lesson from the Afghan Russia war, which corrupted our top brass of military and high official and today’s scenario is a result of that money given in suitcases.

  12. Vikram Chopra says:

    I am not sure how your Govt. will spend it, however knowing (how so ever little) aboutthe powers that be in India as well as Pakistan, I can confidently state that it shall be spent as follows :-

    50% share – Army and other forces
    30% share – Politicians in power
    20% share – Govt. officials / NGO’s involved in distribution of the money.

    The deserving / needy will get nothing. This money shall land up in Swiss Bank accounts.

    Sorry, but isn’t this how it always happens in the sub continent.

  13. Farhan Ahmed says:

    my question is to everyone here is “As our president and prime minister says it is our war then why do we beg for money?” for how long Pakistan will depend on foreign aid to survive and who will provide forever? We should start to ask questions from our leaders regarding their lavish lifestyles being paid from our money. Instead of depending on any foreign aid we should get rid of corrupt politicians and develop our own economy & education.

  14. Honey says:

    It really saddens me to see how our people are degenerating into religious bigotry, unable to think and act in rational ways. Is this what Pakistan was created for? We would have been better off if we were to stay with India.

    Anyway, lets think of ways to get out of this hellhole that we are in.

    I believe there is only one way to civilize Pakistanis. Bring Chinese style Communist Revolution and impose strict one child policy and make education compulsory (full time for those not working and night classes for those working). This is, my friends, the only way Pakistanis can ever be civilised!

  15. M.A. says:

    The money can be spent on several things..
    1. Education.
    THe money can be spent on education by raising the standard of government schools so that people from low to middle class feel at ease to send their children to school at an affordable cost and a good learning environment,creating a new educational system that is both efficient and successful in making sure that the students graduate and can have a succesful life afterwards,ensuring students receive a proper learning environment and schools in rural areas to maximise the learning radius. Also teachers should have a good salary so that they are attentive in schools. Strict measures should be taken in supervising each school’s adcedemic criteria and further changes that need to be done to make it a better school. ALso this will increase our literacy rate. literate nation is more concerned about the country and are more apt in making the right choices in a more logical way

    2.Recyling Centres
    By creating recyling centres of paper, plastic etc. will help reduce the burden of the national debt and it will also keep the environment clean.People can be paid to collect shopping wrappers, pepsi cans and scarps of paper and bring to the recyling centre. this will also diminish pollution to certain extent. Also every major industry or factory needs to have a proper waste treatment plant that will ensure proper disposal of its waste materials.

    3.Reconstruct public infrastructure and its continous maintainence.
    THe thing about Pakistan and why looks like its about to fall apart is due to old buildings, roads, railway tracks and the inability to maintain public infrasturcture. Many old buildings from the British times still stand and are close to crumbling. They are being used and reused again and again until they fall from the burden.Old broken roads, broken train tracks…etc. By Maintaining infrasturcture regulary can ensure a prosperous country and less chance of accidents.

    4. Better health facilites and more efficient hospitals in rural areas
    Hospitals and clinics need to be built that are fully equipped with all the medical equipment and doctors and nurses. Governmnet doctors and nurses should be stationed in rural areas with as much pay as in an urban area so that they are content to where they are stationed.

    5.work towards positive balance of payments
    this can be achieved by increasing value-added exports and not importing lesurie items tht can be easily made in pakistan. We can increase our exports by
    *development of cottage and small-scale industries for export puroses
    * Strict quality control

    if the non-military aid is used on the given areas, pakistan can hope to be recgonized by the world through positive eyes

  16. abdur rauf says:

    First, we should not beg from others.

    if the condition is worse then the given fund should be used in the way , that could bring changes to the Pakistan.

    such as, instead of giving him fish for his meal, teach him to fish:
    there should such programmes for the public that could enable the people earn their butter and bread.
    Major part should be spend on the education, professional education and technical trainings for the lay men of the society. as someone had done it in Bangladesh.
    a little money should be spend to make people and upper hands to be faithful to their country and their duties, even the parliament. which will change the society.

  17. Ahmed says:

    if the Americans will want to help Pakistan then directly start some projects.

    simply the Americans should use this Aid Directly; make a Hospital or provide some medical Equipment, make Roads, provide this Aid Directly to the Universities and Schools – buy them Computers etc. Start some Water Plantation Projects, invest directly into power Projects to reduced the Electricity Shortage in to Pakistan nowadays. Only in this way the Americans Will Win the Hearts of Pakistani Peoples.

  18. ali says:

    Yes I know this is going to sound funny, but the real solution is to spend the money to import a leader, perhaps from China.
    The nation is vibrant and dynamic but lacks good leadership.

  19. Manzar says:

    more have been said about civic sense, but what is it? and if theres a single interpretation which could be applied uniquely in a society with different customs?

    i say a public advertisement on the roads is good enough. it can ask people to stay behind the zebra crossing at the signals!!!!! rules awareness programmes does good!

  20. MNA Khan says:

    I will like to tell Mr. kerry that Pakistan hope that USA will act as our friend country and help us morally, financially and strategically .USA should not only act as a friend but deeply help us and compensate us because the situation in which Pakistan suffering is due to USA war in Afghanistan. Basically the Afghan war effected Pakistan and Pakistan jumped in war on the pressure of USA. Now it is responsibility of USA to fully support Pakistan in military, civil and strategic fields. The need is to find the route causes of terrorism and then find their solutions.

    The money in Pakistan should be spent on education and agriculture based industry to increase employment. Pakistan is under power generation crisis a huge investment in electricity generation is needed urgently.

  21. Farhan Ahmed says:

    Almost all the comments posted by respected writers emphasize on education, I understand and respect their views, we need education but we also need to understand Pakistan is a poor country our first priority should be creating livelihood opportunities for our people and right now the most desired people are of FATA and Balochistan, they don’t have anything to eat how will they educate their children, just imagine if you are in this condition what will you do first will you find something to eat for your children or will you educate them the money should not be provided to PK Govt. The USA must put a system and people in place who reports to them rather than PK Govt. With all this we should not forget our law enforcing agencies a specific % of funds must be spent on them to make them more active and vibrant in the recent times we have seen it is the law enforcement agencies who are taking a hit for us, we should unite and stand behind our forces to support them in any way we can.
    I love my country a lot more than my parents and anything else on this earth, I want PK to be a great nation for all of its citizens regardless of their color, religion or anything else. PK Zindabad.

  22. Adeel Shahid says:

    Priority needs to be on the following,

    1, A strong and independent law enforcement capability (This includes training, remuneration and independence from political manipulation)

    2, Authentic Judiciary

    3, Subsidize basic utilities and food products.

    4, Execute badly needed infrastructure development (Dams, Power houses, roads etc).

    5, Standardize and update the education system (Agree on one ciriculum and try to reduce the divide of quality between Public and Private schools).

  23. khan says:

    We never had problems of such an extreme nature before Afghanistan was attacked by the Americans in response to 9/11.

    Would America allow this kind of collateral damage if this war was being fought in America itself?

    So first take those steps which you would if this war was being fought in America itself.

  24. Mubasher Mustafa Shah says:

    Dear friends,

    before commenting, please keep in mind the shamful and disgracing conditions of this aid. Does your national dignity allows you to accept this “aid” with these conditions.

    THINK——————–

    New conditions incorporated into Pakistan aid bill By Anwar Iqbal
    Friday, 10 Apr, 2009 | 05:22 AM PST WASHINGTON, April 9: Pakistan will have to undertake not to support any person or group involved in activities meant to hurt India and to allow US investigators access to individuals suspected of engaging in nuclear proliferation if it wants to qualify for a three-fold increase in US economic assistance.

    The clause requiring such a pledge has been incorporated into a bill moved in the US House of Representatives on April 2, seeking to provide $1.5 billion of annual assistance to Pakistan for a period of five years.

    Clause (J) of the bill, called the Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement or the PEACE Act of 2009, requires Pakistan “not to support any person or group that conducts violence, sabotage, or other activities meant to instil fear or terror in India”.

    This means that Pakistan will have to ban all Kashmir groups involved in armed struggle in the valley against India.

    Clause (K) of the bill binds Pakistan to ensure access of US investigators to “individuals suspected of engaging in worldwide proliferation of nuclear materials, and restrict such individuals from travel or any other activity that could result in further proliferation.”

    If adopted, the act would enable US investigators to seek direct access to Dr A. Q. Khan and other members of his group accused of providing nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea.

    The Indian lobby on Capitol Hill played a key role in getting the two clauses incorporated into the bill.

    The Pakistani caucus, which once started as an effective lobbying group, has been rendered ineffective by the Pakistani embassy. To ensure that it cannot function as an independent body, the embassy purged all senior people from a support group created to provide technical support to the caucus.

    Consequently, the Pakistan caucus which on papers has the support of almost 100 lawmakers, has become a non-functioning body with no clout on the Hill.

    The need for Pakistan’s help in fighting the Taliban and Al Qaeda militants in Afghanistan and Fata also played a key role in motivating US lawmakers for seeking to increase the aid to Pakistan.

    But this did not prevent the House members from seeking strict restrictions against Pakistan in return for the aid.

    Clause (H) of the bill requires Pakistan not to provide any support, direction, guidance to, or acquiescence in the activities of, any person or group that engages in any degree in acts of violence or intimidation against civilians, civilian groups, or governmental entities.

    Clause (I) needs Pakistan to redouble its efforts to prevent the presence of the Taliban and Taliban-affiliated groups in Pakistan that support insurgents in Afghanistan.

    To ensure transparency and provide effective accountability of all US assistance and reimbursements provided to Pakistan, the bill wants Islamabad to improve counter-terrorism financing and anti-money laundering laws to comply with international standards, to include applying for “Financial Action Task Force” observer status and adhering to the United Nations International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.

    The task force is an inter-governmental body whose purpose is the development and promotion of national and international policies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

    The bill also requires Pakistan to take all appropriate measures to adapt its armed forces to be able to conduct effective and sustained counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.

    The bill, however, also recognises Pakistan as an invaluable friend and ally to the United States, “both in times of strife and in times of peace”.

    It notes that the two countries share many common goals, including combating terrorism and violent radicalism, solidifying democracy and rule of law in Pakistan, and promoting the social and material wellbeing of the people of Pakistan.

    The bill assures the Pakistani people that the United States seeks a “sustained, long-term, multifaceted relationship” with Pakistan based on friendship between the peoples of the two countries, the commitment to democracy and the rule of law, and the mutual interests of stability, security, and prosperity.

    “It is critical for the United States to support Pakistan’s democratic government and strengthen its democratic institutions, including its parliament and the judicial system,” the bill notes.

    The bill also makes it clear that the United States supports Pakistan’s struggle against extremist elements and recognises the profound sacrifice made by Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.

  25. Mateen A. Zia says:

    Firstly and importantly it must be spent out on the Quality Education with true sense & spirit, then on the social sector which includes fair & speedy Justice, maintenance of law & order, if an amount left then it should be spent on improving Health facilities.

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