22 Jan : Putting Pakistan on notice, the new Obama admin has cautioned Islamabad that it would be held accountable for the security in the border regions of Afghanistan and its performance in the war on terror would be linked to the US non-military financial aid.
"(President Barack) Obama and (Vice President Joe) Biden will increase non-military aid to Pakistan and hold them
accountable for security in the border region with Afghanistan," White House said in its foreign policy agenda document released soon after Obama occupied the Oval office.
Biden, a known expert on Afghanistan and Pakistan, then in the capacity as the Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had introduced a legislation in the US Senate in this regard.
Co-authored jointly by the Republican Senator, Richard Lugar, the legislation proposes to triple non-military aid to Pakistan in the next five years.It authorises USD 7.5 billion over five years in aid that can be used for development purposes.
The bill also calls for greater accountability on security assistance, to improve Pakistani counterterrorism capabilities and ensure more effective efforts against the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
As the key points of the Obama’s foreign policy agenda indicated, the new administration is expected to follow the key elements of Biden-Lugar proposals introduced last year.
In lieu the non-military aid, Islamabad would be required to making concerted efforts to prevent al-Qaeda and associated terrorist groups from operating in its territory and to prevent the Taliban from using its territory as a sanctuary to launch attacks within Afghanistan.