30 EU members seek scrutiny of funding to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Thirty Members of the European Parliament have called upon the European Court of Auditors (ECA) and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to scrutinise high levels of EU funding to Pakistan in case of evidence of support for terrorist activity.
The Palestinian Authority has also been mentioned for scrutiny.Though Pakistan’s mission in Brussels must have informed the Foreign Office, there has been no reaction so far. The written declaration by these 30 members was submitted under Rule 136 of the Rules of Procedure on the funnelling of the EU aid to terrorist organisations.
However, details are not forthcoming as to which is the lobby behind this declaration and what proof there is, if any, of the EU aid being misused.Recently members of the European Parliament were in town, and no mention of such a scrutiny arose during formal and informal discussions.
The declaration further notes that EU funds are a vital resource for agreed common foreign and aid policy objectives, and particularly in times of economic stringency and heightened security concern it is important to ensure that EU funds are not wasted or abused.
“This would be the case if EU funds were being channelled, deliberately or by neglect, to terrorist organisations,” the MEPs note.The News understands that where there are indications of such abuse, the Commission is called upon to freeze or reduce funding until the necessary checks and control measures have been put in place.
Till date the declaration which lapses in May has the support of 30 MEPs, and they need the support of half of more than 700 MEPs, to see the declaration through.Observers say that it would not be likely to gather the numbers by May, but still for Pakistan it is a wake up call to be ware of lobbies working against them.