Pakistan on Monday expressed its disappointment over the US plans to withhold US $33 million assistance on account of the detention of Dr Shakil Afridi, who helped the CIA track down al-Qaeda chief Osama bin laden.
A statement released by the Pakistan Foreign Office said Dr Afridi had caused immense damage to the country’s anti- polio drive. The fresh skirmish comes days ahead of the Ministerial level Strategic dialogue between the two countries beginning on January 27 in Washington after a delay of over three years. The Consolidated Appropriations Bill 2014, approved by US Congress, was signed into law by US President Barack Obama on January 17.
As an omnibus legislation, it contains respective Appropriation Bills for all Government Departments, including the Department of Defence and the Department of State.
The State Department will now undertake the process of making allocations, including those for Pakistan.