US cuts Pakistan security funding over terror fears

The US Congress has slashed security funding to Pakistan by almost two-thirds under an amended defence budget following criticism of its coalition partner’s failure to tackle terror groups thriving in its porous border region with Afghanistan.

In a US$717 billion (FJ$1510.83bn) budget for the coming year, Congress cut funding allocated to Pakistan to fight terrorism from US$900 million (FJ$1896.44m) to US$350 million (FJ$737.5m), with some analysts suggesting the figure may be even lower.