No reimbursement

The US has unilaterally suspended $300 million which was financial reimbursement for the expenses related to logistical and military support to US military operations by Pakistan. Unfortunately, poorly negotiated agreements by the quarters representing Pakistan and US hegemony with their change in priorities and strategic alliances have emboldened them to link what was basically reimbursement for work that has already been done, with conditions, for their newly adopted policy for South Asia. In any case, Pakistan is a poor country with limited finances and should never have agreed to defer payments. Had Pakistan levied charges on the use of our infrastructure in advance as is the practice, this country would not have faced this humiliation. It is not just the financial loss in terms of the CSF, but also an indicator of the rise in terrorist activities, a consequence motivated by our partnership in the US-Afghanistan war which has inflicted losses of billions to our economy besides causing miseries for our citizens.

It would have been in the best interest of Pakistan not to have got involved in America’s proxy war. However, after getting involved, the country should have agreed to the payment schedule which would have advocated advance payment for cost incurred on expected use of our infrastructure for logistical purposes and military cooperation with the surplus adjusted through joint audit and review. Lessons need to be learned from past follies.

Malik Tariq Ali

Lahore