US not to channel aid to Pak through Govt sector: official India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The United States has made it clear that it would not funnel its aid to Pakistan through the government sector unless it is convinced that the funds would be used effectively and efficiently and exactly for the purpose it is meant for. "The United States would not channel all its aid through the government sector and that even when it agreed to support specific government programmes, it would do so only if it's convinced that those programmes were ready to use the funds 'effectively and efficiently," a senior US official said. Talking to media person after holding talks with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Finance Minister Tarin and other officials, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Jacob J. Lew said Washington has made its stand clear on the issue. "They were 'very much anxious' to have as much of the assistance as possible to flow directly into the government sector. 'We made clear that we're looking at a variety of approaches," Lew said Lew urged Pakistan to take 'some very hard steps' to reform its electric utility sector inorder to overcome the huge energy crisis facing the country. Lew highlighted that US Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Hoolbrooke, during his recent Islamabad trip, had also warned Pakistan to take the issue seriously. "We raised also the fact that it's not just a question of assistance on projects, but that Pakistan had to take some very hard steps to reform its electric utility sector in order for there to be the real opportunity for sustainable progress," The Dawn quoted Lew, as saying. The US, he said, would support various programmes prepared by Pakistani Ministries but only 'where the programmes are ready to accept that support effectively'. "It wouldn't be a one-size-fits-all approach.The key to us was that for each of the undertakings that we agreed upon, there had to be things that were mutually attractive from the point of view of the Pakistani government and the US government," Lew added. The issue of the internally displaced people (IDP) was also discussed during the meeting, with the US assuring all assistance to Pakistan to help the displaced persons return home and restart their life.