Donald Lu says President Biden sought $101m aid for Pakistan

WASHINGTON: US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, Donald Lu, said that President Biden has requested $101 million in aid for Pakistan from Congress, ARY News reported.

As per details, Donald Lu briefed members of the US House of Representatives Committee on Pakistan’s situation.

Lu emphasized that the United States is focused on supporting democracy and human rights in Pakistan.

The funds will be utilized to assist Pakistan in its fight against terrorism, economic reforms, and debt relief. Lu stated that the aid will help Pakistan stabilize its economy.

Who is Donald Lu?

Lu is a foreign service officer with more than 30 years of US government service.

The American official is at the center of the “cipher” controversy as it is popularly known in Pakistan. It relates to an alleged diplomatic correspondence between Washington and Islamabad that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf(PTI) founder said was proof his ouster as prime minister (PM) was part of a US conspiracy to remove him.

Washington has repeatedly denied Khan’s accusations.

Testifying before a subcommittee of the US panel, the US assistant secretary of state said: “Imran Khan’s cipher conspiracy theory is a lie [and] it is a complete falsehood.”

“It is not accurate. At no point does it accuse the US government or me personally of taking steps against Imran Khan. And thirdly, the other person in the meeting, the then-ambassador of Pakistan to the US, has testified to his own government that there was no conspiracy.”

As the assistant secretary of state for South and central Asia, Donald Lu is the top US diplomat in the State Department focused on the region.