• Home

Coalition Support Fund extended

Islamabad: The United States has agreed to extend Pakistan's military assistance under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) for another year, a defence ministry official said after high-level talks between the two countries in Washington.
Pakistan had sought the extension in US assistance under the CSF, which is meant to reimburse costs Islamabad incurred in the fight against terrorism. The CSF, which was established by the US in 2001 to cover some of the cost issues countries face in the fight against extremist violence, was originally supposed to expire in 2014. The US extended the facility for Pakistan until 2015 last year.
"Now, the CSF arrangement will continue in 2016 as well," the defence ministry official told The Express Tribune.
The agreement was reached during the meeting of the US-Pakistan Defence Consultative Group (DCG) held in Washington on December 16 and 17, he said. Defence Secretary Lt-Gen (retd) Alam Khattak led the Pakistani delegation and US Under-Secretary of Defence for Policy Christine E. Wormuth led the American side.
The US reiterated its support to the Pakistan military in its ongoing operation against militants in North Waziristan Agency.
news@khaleejtimes.com

• Pakistan