Donald Trump ties Pakistan’s hands with $39 crore deal – here’s how

The purpose of this US funding to Pakistan is to ensure that F-16 jets are used solely for counter-terrorism operations and not against India.

Since Donald Trump took office as President of the United States, Pakistan's situation has progressively deteriorated. First, a ban was imposed on companies providing materials, technology, or equipment for Pakistan's ballistic missile programme, and then funding under USAID was halted.

Now, a recent decision by Donald Trump has further tightened the screws on Pakistan, causing considerable consternation in Islamabad, as this decision is perceived as being in support of India.

Donald Trump has released $39.7 crore for a US-supported programme in Pakistan. You might think this means Trump has provided funding to Pakistan, but there’s a catch. This amount has been allocated specifically for the monitoring of US-made F-16 fighter jets in Pakistan.

Preventing the Use of F-16 Fighter Jets Against India

The purpose of this US funding to Pakistan is to ensure that these jets are used solely for counter-terrorism operations and not against India. This stipulation stems from the events following the Pulwama attack in February 2019. In response to the Balakot airstrikes, Pakistan deployed F-16 aircraft against India.

One of these Pakistani fighter jets was shot down by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman of the Indian Air Force, piloting a MiG-21. This incident angered the US. At the time, a top US diplomat wrote a letter reprimanding the heads of the Pakistani Air Force.

A 90-Day Freeze

It is noteworthy that last month, US President Donald Trump imposed a 90-day freeze on foreign aid (USAID). However, the US has now released $5.3 billion. This funding is earmarked for humanitarian assistance, security, and anti-narcotics programmes worldwide.