Pakistan will need more aid from world donors as it battles militants and tries to repair its economy, said US special envoy Richard Holbrooke on Saturday. Holbrooke also reiterated US concern about President Asif Ali Zardari's decision, under "pressure from conservatives," to sign a deal imposing sharia law in Swat valley to end Taliban violence.
Donors, including the United States, Japan, Europe, Saudi Arabia and Iran pledged more than five billion dollars in fresh aid over two years at a conference in Tokyo after Zardari vowed to step up the fight against militants.
The pledges, bigger than an expected four billion dollars, reflect the international community's worries that an economic meltdown in nuclear-armed Pakistan, propped up with a 7.6 billion-dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over two years, could fan popular support for al Qaeda and other militant groups.
Holbrooke told a news conference that he was "enormously gratified" at the amount of pledges, but stressed that huge problems remained for Pakistan's security and economy. "Five billion dollars is not enough for Pakistan," Holbrooke told the news conference.
"The terrorists in western Pakistan are planning other attacks around the world. So we need to work hard to strengthen the government of Pakistan, to deal with the tribal areas with all its problems," he said. "After congratulating ourselves, we should remind ourselves that the problem is far from over," he said.
Holbrooke repeated US concern about Zardari's deal in the Swat valley after a militant spokesman said on Wednesday that the Pakistani Taliban would not lay down their arms there. The strategy of appeasement has alarmed the US officials, while critics say the government has demonstrated a lack of capacity and will to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda.
"The actual agreement has been variously interpreted ... and you are correct in saying that the West has been negative on it, and I have shared that scepticism, to be quite frank, and the government (of Pakistan) has explained their point of view," he said. "All I can say is it will depend on what happens next."
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