WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama has signed a massive annual defence policy bill which grants $1 billion to Pakistan for the expenses made by its army in support of the US military operations in war-torn Afghanistan.
The National Defence Authorization Act for the fiscal year 2015, signed by Obama on Friday, sets overall defence spending at $578 billion which has provision for release of Coalition Support Fund amounting to $1 billion to Pakistan.
CSF is not a military aid but a reimbursement to Pakistan for the expenses made by the its army in support of the US military operations in Afghanistan. Though there are conditions attached for the disbursement of the amount to Pakistan, with regard to it taking action against terrorist organisations and in particular the Haqqani network, but as usual the defence secretary can waive off these certification under national interest, as has consistently been the case for the past several years.
US and Pakistan are now holding talks on extending CSF even after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. (PTI)
