THE impact of the Trump administration’s decision to ‘pause’ all US foreign aid programmes, especially those funding development and lifesaving health services for women and girls, will be felt by millions in poor countries across the world, including Pakistan. The suspension of critical healthcare aid is estimated by the UN to affect 1.7m people in the country, including 1.2m Afghan refugees, many of whom would no longer be able to access necessary sexual and reproductive health services with the closure of over 60 facilities. These health facilities were being administered by the UNFPA, whose regional director expressed concern at the prospect of millions of women and girls facing life-threatening danger due to the lack of access to UNFPA services in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The UNFPA requires over $308m in 2025 to sustain even basic services in these countries.

Since President Donald Trump has also ordered a review of USAID in order to scale down the agency through which foreign assistance is channelled, the implications of American aid suspension for several projects in the country are disturbing. Though the programmes have been halted pending a 90-day review, many fear that the suspension would be indefinite or at least last for several months. There is little possibility of the Pakistani authorities being able to immediately finance the affected health facilities or other USAID-sponsored schemes. The chances of other Western nations stepping in to fill the funding gap, at least in areas that focus on refugees and women, appear dim too. That said, Mr Trump’s decision to cut off aid may also offer an opportunity for the government to stop depending on foreign aid, at least for health and other areas in the social sector, and ramp up its budgetary allocations for initiatives directly linked to the well-being of its citizens. There is no doubt that, after years of reliance on US aid, Pakistan’s cash-strapped government will find it difficult to face the challenge. But it is time to step up and divert a small portion of resources from other schemes, say funds allocated for projects proposed by the lawmakers, to save the lives of thousands of young girls and women affected by the actions of the new US administration. That is what caring governments would do for their people.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2025