'War on terror' has cost Pakistan...

Karachi - Pakistan has received $14 billion so far from US as support for its war on terror.

Pakistan's 'war on terror' has cost $118 billion so far, a new report has said.

The State Bank of Pakis­tan (SBP) in its annual report showed that extre­mist violence cost the country $118.3 billion in direct and indirect losses from 2002 to 2016.

"Both economic growth and social sector development have been severely ham­­pered by terrorism-related incidents," the report said.

Pakistan became a pivotal US ally in the battle against extremism after the September 11, 2001 attacks spurred the US invasion of Afghanistan.

A Coalition Support Fund was approved by the US to support Pakistan in the war, with an annual release of around $1 billion since 2002. By last year Pakistan had rece­ived a total of $14 billion.

The SBP said that apart from causing immeasurable human suffering, including casualties and mass displacement, the war had helped drive away foreign investment, stall domestic investment, freeze exports, and slow down trade.

Pakistan has carried out major military offensives against Al Qaeda and the Taleban in its border tribal regions that have sapped their strength, with overall levels of militant violence dropping drastically in 2015 and 2016.

The country has also been waging a fight against home-grown insurgents since at least 2004.

• Pakistan