ISLAMABAD: The International Development Committee (IDC) has relaunched an inquiry into effectiveness of UK Aid to Pakistan.

In June 2019, the previous IDC launched an inquiry into UK Aid to Pakistan but did not take any oral evidence before parliament was dissolved. The new committee comprising 11 members of the parliament is chaired by Sarah Champion of the Labour Party.

According to the terms of reference of the inquiry, the committee has invited written submissions on the effectiveness of UK Aid to Pakistan. In particular, the inquiry will ascertain whether the UK’s strategic aims for its Pakistan aid programme are clear and appropriate and UK-Pakistan relationship coherent and well-coordinated with the aid programme and its aims and objectives.

Views are also sought on whether the extent UK Aid spending in Pakistan is integrated, coordinated and responsive to the priorities and commitments to the government. The inquiry will also ascertain whether UK’s strategic aims for its Pakistan aid programme are clear and appropriate.

The focus and scale of inquiry will also cover the effectiveness of UK Aid in Pakistan in supporting its progress towards achieving the SDGs. The extent of UK Aid focusing on the poorest, most marginalised and most vulnerable people, and the level of aid spending in Pakistan appropriate in order to achieve long-lasting change are also include in the terms of reference of the inquiry.

Pakistan has been DFID’s largest country programme for the past five years, and was expected to amount to 302 million pounds in 2019-20, spanning across areas including human development, climate and the environment, and humanitarian aid.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2021