WASHINGTON: The United States recently sent a team to Islamabad to review the reimbursement of the Coalition Support Funds, the US military chief told a Senate panel.
Theres, however, no link between former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharrafs alleged claim in a television interview that Pakistan used US military aid to strengthen its defences against India and the sending of the team.
The team was sent long before Gen (retd) Musharraf gave that interview. The former president has already denied making that claim.
In a written reply to Senate Armed Services Committee, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said the team was sent to review the Coalition Support Funds, which reimburses expense incurred during the anti-extremists operations.
The decision to send the team followed a congressional demand to increase US oversight of the reimbursements to Pakistan.
We recently sent a team to Pakistan to review, with the Pakistan military, the CSF documentation and other requirements in order to improve accountability and timeliness of payments, Admiral Mullen said.
However, he did not say what the result of the finding was or whether the team had returned.
Coalition Support Funds, he said, were a key element towards meeting US objectives in the Pakistan-Afghan strategy.
We continue to work with the Pakistan military to improve CSF processes, and ensure appropriate accountability and transparency for CSF, he added.
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