redred
09-26-2011, 08:34 AM
Pakistani opposition politician Imran Khan has urged the UK to cut aid to his country, saying it fuels corruption.
The former cricketer told BBC Radio 4 that Pakistan was more poverty-stricken than ever but little international aid money reached its intended target.
The UK plans to increase its annual aid from £140m to £350m over the next few years.
But Mr Khan said: "If we don't have aid we will be forced to make reforms and stand on our own feet."
Aid 'a curse'
Mr Khan, leader of the Pakistan Movement for Justice (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) party, said aid money propped up corrupt governments and that reforms were what would save Pakistan.
"Unfortunately, aid has been a curse for Pakistan. Total aid is about $20bn (£13bn). This $20bn is not helping the people of Pakistan," Mr Khan said.
The Department for International Development has linked aid increases to Islamabad's progress on reform.
Last week, Mr Khan told the BBC that Pakistan should also not accept aid from the US. He said the US should trust Pakistan to find a solution to the terrorism situation on its own.
He earlier said the "unwinnable war" in the region would never be settled militarily and that the answer lay in "political settlement".
The former cricketer told BBC Radio 4 that Pakistan was more poverty-stricken than ever but little international aid money reached its intended target.
The UK plans to increase its annual aid from £140m to £350m over the next few years.
But Mr Khan said: "If we don't have aid we will be forced to make reforms and stand on our own feet."
Aid 'a curse'
Mr Khan, leader of the Pakistan Movement for Justice (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) party, said aid money propped up corrupt governments and that reforms were what would save Pakistan.
"Unfortunately, aid has been a curse for Pakistan. Total aid is about $20bn (£13bn). This $20bn is not helping the people of Pakistan," Mr Khan said.
The Department for International Development has linked aid increases to Islamabad's progress on reform.
Last week, Mr Khan told the BBC that Pakistan should also not accept aid from the US. He said the US should trust Pakistan to find a solution to the terrorism situation on its own.
He earlier said the "unwinnable war" in the region would never be settled militarily and that the answer lay in "political settlement".