The Netherlands has suspended aid to Pakistan after President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule, Dutch Development Aid Minister Bert Koenders said on Monday. "This is a dramatic coup d'etat that we strongly disapprove of and that undermines Pakistan's democracy, development and population," Koenders told the ANP news agency.
The Netherlands had budgeted some 15 million euros (21.7 million dollars) in aid to Pakistan for 2007 and some 12 million euros has already been spent. The remainder is now suspended, Koenders' spokesman Franceso Mascini said. For next year the Netherlands had planned to give some 40 million euros in aid to Pakistan mostly for education. That is now under review.