US hikes Pak aid,Antony doubts its utilisation

Even as the US Senate passed a Bill tripling the annual aid package to Islamabad over the next five years...

Even as the US Senate passed a Bill tripling the annual aid package to Islamabad over the next five years to 1.5 billion per year,Defence Minister A K Antony said the new weapons inducted by Pakistan were not meant for fighting terror.

Expressing views that have been echoed by Indian military experts in the past,Antony said it is a matter of concern that the induction of new military hardware by Pakistan is not really meant for the fight against terror. He also expressed concerns about the growing clout of the Taliban and said it was a threat to world peace,the region,as well as India.

Talking to the top military commanders of the country at the Unified Commanders Conference here,Antony said Pakistan is inducting sophisticated defence equipment many of which are really not meant to develop Pakistans capacity to fight terror.

Antonys statement comes a day after the US Senate passed the controversial Kerry-Lugar Bill that will give Pakistan a 7.5 billion aid programme over the next five years. The Bill supports a 400 million annual package to upgrade Pakistans military that is being called the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund.

While the military component of the aid package will be monitored and revised on an annual basis,it has raised concerns in New Delhi as experts feel that Pakistan is diverting military funding meant for the war on terror to build its conventional capabilities against India.

The concerns are likely to be conveyed to US National Security Adviser Jim Jones who arrived here on Thursday evening. Jones,who is the highest ranking US official from the new administration to visit India,will call upon Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday before meeting the Defence Minister.

Antony said he would discuss the security scenario in the region,especially the Taliban threat,with Jones. We will discuss the security scenario around us.

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Advising top military commanders,Antony said given the induction of new weapons by Pakistan there is a need to maintain extreme vigil.

While initially,the draft US Bill had imposed conditions that funding would stop if terror attacks are launched in India from Pakistan,they were removed after reservations were expressed by Islamabad. The Bill now asks for certifications from the US President that the money is being used prudently by Pakistan.

Coming down strongly against Pakistan for letting terror outfits operate from its soil,Antony said strong action against anti-India terror groups operating in the country is a pre condition to the peace process which could not be a one-way traffic.