Pak seeks early reimbursement of $1.6bn spent on terror war

President Asif Ali Zardari has appealed to the US to fast track reimbursement of $1.6 billion that Pakistan spent on fighting extremism in its troubled tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.

President Asif Ali Zardari has appealed to the US to fast track reimbursement of USD 1.6 billion that Pakistan spent on fighting extremism in its troubled tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.

Zardari made the call during his meeting with US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan,Richard Holbrooke,here on Tuesday.

The US pays Pakistan for the anti-extremist operations from a special account called the Coalition Support Fund.

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During the meeting,Zardari called for fast tracking reimbursement of outstanding Coalition Support Fund of USD 1.6 billion,Pakistan’s official APP news agency reported.

Briefing reporters on the meeting,Zardari’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the President also sought early adoption of the Biden-Lugar Bill that may bring in another USD 1.5 billion of annual US assistance to Pakistan for the next five years.

Besides,Zardari favoured an early realisation of about USD 6 billion pledged to Pakistan at the Tokyo conference earlier this year to help the country overcome its economic crisis.

The President also made out a case for fast tracking the delivery of counter-insurgency technology and equipment and investment in education sector.

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Earlier,the President attended the 5th Annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative.