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ISLAMABAD, May 13: Interior minister Moinuddin Haider on Monday said that Pakistan would get a $73 million grant from the United States to combat terrorism in the country.
The interior minister, who reached here after cutting short his visit to the US in view of the recent terrorist attack in Karachi, said that cooperation between the two countries would continue to combat terrorism, check trafficking in drugs, and infiltration of terrorist elements from across the western borders.
Talking to newsmen at Islamabad airport this morning he said out of the $73 million, 44 million would be spent on strengthening of security on the Pakistan-Afghan border to check illegal crossings.
For this purpose, paramilitary scouts and provincial levies would be trained and equipped. The rest of the amount he said would be utilized to establish an air wing for surveillance of the western border.
APP ADDS: Giving details of his telephonic conference with the Pakistani expatriate doctors in the US, Moin said they were concerned about the killing of doctors in Karachi.
He said he had told them that four to five gangs involved in terrorist activities had been busted by the police and others have been awarded the death penalty by the anti-terrorist courts.
Terming the meeting of Pakistan-US Working Group on Counterterrorism as fruitful he said both the countries have conceded to enhance mutual cooperation on common challenges.
He said the emphasis of the working group agenda was on counterterrorism and laws enforcement.
The discussions also focussed on counter-narcotics, extradition, money laundering, human trafficking, demand reduction and drug-abuse control, alternative development and poppy eradication, police and legal system reform, and issues related to the repatriation of Pakistan nationals detained in the US in connection with immigration proceedings.
The meeting was attended by the leader of Pakistan delegation minister for interior and narcotics division Lt-Gen (retd) Moinuddin Haider, US assistant secretary for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs Rand Beers, coordinator for counterterrorism Ambassador Francis Taylor, assistant secretary for South Asian affairs Christina Rocca, and US Department of Justice deputy assistant attorney-general Bruce Swartz.
The Joint Working Group was announced during President General Pervez Musharraf’s visit to Washington in February 2002. Its next meeting would be held after six months, he said.
