British lawmaker questions UK’s aid to Pakistan

A CONSERVATIVE parliamentarian has questioned the rationale behind Britain sending aid to Pakistan whose leader “praised” the Taliban.

Daniel Kawczynski drew the Commons’ attention to the allegations that Islamabad has been supporting the insurgent group, which, he said, is “most concerning”.

The Warsaw-born politician’s comments came amid the reports that Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan hailed the Taliban for “breaking the shackles of cultural slavery”.

“We need to ask questions about the role of Russia and Pakistan... the allegations that they have been supporting the Taliban.. and most concerning of all - Pakistan,” Kawczynski said.

“So there are serious questions to be asked about the role of Pakistan and her security forces.”

At £305 million, Pakistan was the top receiver of the UK’s international aid in 2019, followed closely by Ethiopia and Afghanistan, according to Department for International Development data, cited by Express.

Khan, who has been consistently denying that his country backed the Taliban, said in a recent television address, “When you adopt someone’s culture, you believe it to be superior and you end up becoming a slave to it... What is happening in Afghanistan now (is that) they have broken the shackles of slavery.”

Kabul recently accused Islamabad of supporting the insurgents during its fight against the insurgents near the Spin Boldak border crossing with Pakistan. Khan’s government, however, dismissed the allegation, saying its action was aimed at safeguarding its own territory.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan at a stunning speed as international forces withdrew from the country after nearly two decades of war.