A US Congressional research report has asked the 114th US Congress to consider whether it should continue to authorise the Pentagon to provide Pakistan with “Coalition Support Fund” (CSF) reimbursements now that most international forces have departed Afghanistan. CSF accounts for nearly half of overt US financial aid to Pakistan since 2001. At about $13 billion, this amount is one-fifth of Pakistan’s total military expenditures during this period. Following 9/11 terror attacks, US Congress began appropriating billions of dollars in 2002 to reimburse Pakistan and other nations for their operational and logistical support of US-led counterterrorism operations. Besides paying to deploy more than 100,000 Pakistani troops in northwest Pakistan, CSF payments also officially compensate Islamabad for use of Pakistani airfields and seaports by the US military. Pentagon reporting indicates that roughly half of CSF money is shown as being used for food and ammunition in military operations against militants.
