ACCORDING to a news report, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the US should channel financial assistance to Pakistan through the government’s existing mechanism. This is because, he says, any third-party disbursement through non-governmental organisations or other agencies involves disproportionate administrative expenses, some times, by as much as 35 to 40 per cent reducing the amount of funds available for public welfare.

I sometimes wonder how much our leaders are ignorant about the ground reality when our country is declared one of the most corrupt among world countries, where honest and moral ethics are non-existent. How can a country trust our government? It is a fact that in the past the World Bank and USAID financial assistance was never fully spent on the welfare of people. Part of it would go into the pocket of the corrupt bureaucrats and contractors, as they paid up to 30 per cent in securing the contract and for receiving the payment. The result was poor quality of work done by contractors.

The prime minister should discuss in the parliament the issue of spending USAID: what should the best use and how should it be channelled for the benefit of the people?

I suggest the government should ask the US to build, during the next five years, universities like MIT, Harvard, Stanford, California in Pakistan’s four provinces. Also research institutes of bio-technology to boost agricultural produce instead of paying us $1.5bn every year.

In the past the aid and financial assistance provided by the US and donor countries were used by the government for budgetary support, and a major portion was spent on administrative expenses.

The Friends of Pakistan who pledged $5bn are also reluctant about providing cash to the as they want that their money should be spent on development of underdeveloped areas, particularly Fata. Unfortunately, the government lacks global credibility due to corruption, financial irregularities and mismanagement.

It is imperative that the government should take such actions as will remove all perception against its being corrupt and incompetent.

As it is the discretion of the US to use its money through its own NGOs, the prime minister should not tell them what to do.