The united status has been forced to defend its plans for an expended presence in Pakistan after media criticism that it was aimed at “mithan a “couple of dozens.” The U.S. had no “insidious” intentions behind the expansion, the U.S. diplomat was quoted as saying by local newspapers. “When you have got nonmilitary and economic assistance going up to $1.5 billion every year and security aid also trebling, then you need people to develop, implement and run the programmes, and more importantly, keep an oversight to ensure that money is appropriately spent,” he said. The embassy expected to get 450 new permanent staff members and recruit 1,200 Pakistanis, he said.
Non-Military aid: the U.S. Congress is considering a bill providing for $ 7.5 billion in non-military aid to Pakistan over five years, a three-fold increase over present amounts. The Dawn reported that the U.S. would spend nearly $1 billion on the construction of its new embassy and that this money would be drawn from the war supplement aid to Pakistan.
The newspaper said the planned $112.5-million complex for marines within the embassy compound in the diplomatic enclave was an indication that their numbers “may run into the hundreds” the cost of reconstructing and fortifying the embassy itself was reported to be $405 million, while another $200 million is to be reportedly spent on constructing houses for its staff.
The reports have caused a stir about U.S. “designs” in Pakistan, with unnamed diplomats and former diplomats telling the press that the staff surge would mosely comprise intelligence agents for “covert operations” under a diplomatic guise. One former forign secretary told Dawn that this was a clear indication that America would “remote-control” the region from Pakistan.
The reported increase in the number of marines has also raised fears of American “boots on Pakistani soil”. While Mr.Feiersteinown was categorical that the increase in the number of marines was insignificant and was intended for the purposes of the embassy’s own security, newspapers have persisted in reporting that between 350 to 1.000 marines will be eventually stationed in the upcoming complex
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