The US Congress on Tuesday approved $ 25 million in civilian aid to Pakistan to strengthen democracy and promote women’s rights in the South Asian country.

The $ 25 million provision, reflecting the relaunch of the civil aid program in Pakistan that was halted by US President Donald Trump in January 2018, as well as all security assistance, due to its non-cooperation in the fight against terrorism, is part of the huge amount of $ 2.3 trillion. bill, which includes long-delayed coronavirus relief ($ 900 billion) and funds the government $ 1.4 trillion, passed by Congress on Tuesday.

Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, opposed such a provision, while a key driver of such assistance to Pakistani Senator Lindsay Graham argued that it was important to improve the life of women in Pakistan.

The over 5,500-page legislation, which is now heading to the White House for President Trump to enact, makes available a minimum of $ 15 million in aid to Pakistan “for democratic programs” and $ 10 million. of dollars “for the kind programs.”

Appearing on Fox News, Senator Graham justified this decision.

“Pakistan is a place that really worries me. Eighty-five countries, a woman cannot open a bank account without her husband’s signature. She cannot inherit property. If you are a young girl in Pakistan, life is quite difficult. So we are trying to improve the lives of women around the world, ”he said.

Lara, in an interview with Fox News, expressed outrage at such provisions in the bill that was passed by Congress, which among other things grants $ 600 per citizen as part of the COVID-19 relief plan.

“$ 1.4 billion to the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act. I think no one knows what it is. The $ 10 million for gender studies in Pakistan. $ 700 million to Sudan. How does this help Americans? How does that help us get and I think it’s very frustrating for people all over the country. I think they’re really happy to have the $ 600, but they probably could have gotten a lot more if we hadn’t given so much money, “she said.

Congressman Chip Ry, who opposed the bill, said: “It is throwing billions of euros in foreign aid, including gender equality programs in Pakistan to the tune of 10 millions of dollars”.

The bill doubles the failure of many Democratic policies, giving special interests billions of dollars in benefits, while offering fellow Americans a paltry payout of just $ 600, Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz said.

“Distressed American workers should be given priority over gender programs in Pakistan or anti-narcotics programs in Bruma, or money for Ukraine (which are all funded in this bill),” he said. he declares.

“Congress should open up the economy in America before funding gender equality programs in Pakistan. The Uniparty that drafts these bills is America Last to the core,” Gaetz tweeted.

“I predict that when our country’s finances collapse, we will continue to fund ‘gender programs in Pakistan,’ he said.

“Tonight’s COVID relief / stimulation bill has no less than $ 10 million for said programs attached to it,” Congressman Thomas Massie said in a tweet.

“When your country’s COVID-19 relief bill includes $ 10 million in ‘gender programs’ for Pakistan, you know Congress is broken,” tweeted new MP Lauren Boebert.

(Only the title and image of this report may have been reworked by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)

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