• Waiver granted for oversight of F-16 programme
The Trump administration has halted nearly all US government funding for programmes that promote democracy and human rights in many countries, a move that experts warn will have significant repercussions for Pakistan’s democratic institutions.
Pakistan has been one of the largest recipients of US development assistance in South Asia. Under these programmes, Washington provided between $13 million and $15 million to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to support free and fair elections.
The funds were allocated for the ‘Strengthening Electoral and Legislative Processes’ project, which ran from 2016 to 2023, under the supervision of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The Trump administration’s broader foreign aid freeze has also impacted humanitarian and development assistance, halting $845m in funding for Pakistani projects and disrupting 11 governance programmes.
In a recent interview with a Fox News affiliate in Detroit, Michigan, former Pakistani president Arif Alvi claimed that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) had given up to $17m to the ECP.
Supporting the Trump administration’s decision to suspend such funding, Dr Alvi asserted that the ECP was responsible for overseeing the 2024 general elections, which he alleged were marred by widespread rigging.
However, according to data from the US government website ForignAssistance.gov, Pakistan received between $13m and $15m for the seven-year programme, and not specifically for the 2024 elections.
Waivers
However, a number of waivers have been issued as well. Pakistan is receiving two types of waivers under the Trump administration’s new aid policy: emergency humanitarian assistance and security-related funds.
Under a national security waiver, $397 million has been allocated to a US-backed programme monitoring Islamabad’s use of F-16 fighter jets. A congressional aide emphasised that such oversight serves US national security interests, given Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities.
Additionally, the US Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation has secured 17 exemptions aimed at curbing the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
Pakistan also qualifies for emergency humanitarian aid, including food and medical assistance for flood-affected areas, though the total amount remains undisclosed.
