The United States has acknowledged Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s accusations regarding the alleged mismanagement of $400 million meant for flood relief by the Shehbaz Sharif-led government. Bilawal accused the federal government of appropriating the funds, originally intended for flood victims, for unrelated projects.
Bilawal claimed that he had secured the $400 million in loans and aid from the World Bank for flood victims. However, according to him, the federal government has retained the funds, offering him rupees under the guise of executing unspecified projects. He condemned the government for its inability to construct a single house for flood victims in recent years and demanded that the aid be redirected for its intended purpose.
Responding to the allegations, US State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller, in a press briefing on Wednesday, emphasized that the United States is closely monitoring the situation. “We take this matter very seriously, not just in Pakistan but also wherever American taxpayer dollars are used, and where urgent humanitarian interests are at stake,” Miller stated.
Miller further explained that both the State Department and USAID follow strict protocols to monitor and evaluate the use of foreign aid, ensuring transparency and accountability. “We halt assistance when we observe any misdirection or misuse of funds,” he added, indicating potential concerns over the misuse of flood relief resources in Pakistan.
In a separate development, Miller was asked about US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s meeting with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar. While declining to reveal specifics, Miller confirmed that the discussions focused on bolstering bilateral relations and tackling regional and global challenges. He also mentioned that human rights issues frequently arise in US diplomatic discussions, suggesting that such concerns might have been addressed during the meeting.
The allegations by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the US’s swift acknowledgment of the situation have heightened attention on the Pakistani government’s handling of international aid, particularly amidst ongoing concerns over the country’s humanitarian efforts for flood victims.
