US recognizes brave Pakistani women for International Women Day

[CENTCOM]

March 8, is International Women Day. On this occasion The United States “Conflict Victims Support Program” funded families though is $25 million three years comprehensive program in Pakistan. This post below is a reproduction of a U.S. Embassy Pakistan’s press release issued today.
Abdul Quddus
DET- United States Central Command
The United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), recognizes the bravery and determination of the women of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) who have endured loss, but are determined to resume a normal life for themselves and their families. Through the USAID funded Conflict Victims Support Program, families and child survivors of conflict in KP and FATA receive economic, social, and medical assistance, as well as scholarships. The vast majority of these survivors lost male family members, most often the main breadwinner, to violence and insecurity. It is especially fitting that these brave women are recognized today, International Women’s Day.

USAID Mission Director, Gregory Gottlieb, recognizes the bravery and determination of these women and celebrates their successes. These women, through the USAID Conflict Support Program, receive vocational training to improve their income earning ability thereby enabling them to provide financial support for their families after losing male family members. The scholarships provided to children enable them to continue their education.

“We suffered an emotional and financial blow, and I had to quit school when my father died in a bomb blast four years ago,” said Laiqa, a 13-year old girl. “The USAID scholarship enabled me to resume my education. I would like to become a doctor to help others.” Laiqa’s mother operates a small grocery store, made possible by a grant provided by USAID.

“I am grateful to USAID for helping me to support my family after losing my husband,” said Nafeesa, who started a beauty parlor with financial support from USAID. “I recently was able to expand my business by adding a garment store.”

“Women play an integral part in the development of a society, and I am sure that you will leave a legacy of hard work and bravery that your children will be proud of. The people of the United States will continue promoting stability and prosperity throughout the FATA region and KP Province,” said USAID Mission Director Gottlieb.

USAID’s three-year, $25 million Conflict Victims Support Program is part of the comprehensive U.S. assistance program in Pakistan, which helps ensure increased opportunity for women’s participation in the labor force; the expansion of girls’ access to quality basic education; improvement in maternal and child health; and the promotion of women’s political, economic, and social rights. To date, 6,800 Pakistani families have benefitted from this program. The Conflict Victims Support Program has also improved the emergency response capabilities of six hospitals and trained 1,095 community members and medics to better respond to mass emergencies.

 

[That Guy]

Call me cynical, but I find USAID to be a double edged sword. Not only is this aid making the receiving nation more dependent on it, this aid is also being used as a political tool to get non-compliant governments to do what the US wants. The only good thing that comes out of it is that it can help poor governments and nations develop more efficient infrastructure to operate, and provide vital needs for poor communities.

@CENTCOM
I'll be frank. The US treats India like a friend and offers trade and technology, but Pakistan is treated like a stray dog that should be thankful that the US is even partly paying for the services that Pakistan is providing the US with. This aid is worthless compared to the costs of the mess the US has created and is probably going to leave behind in South Asia for Pakistan to, yet again, clean up.

What does the US have to offer to Pakistan, besides aid that is simply going to be used as a political tool? When will the US offer trade? When will your president realize that Pakistani lives aren't simply for him to decide if they live or die? Don't give me that sorry excuse of "terrists do boomboom", it doesn't change the fact that the US has killed hundreds of Pakistanis because your president is trigger happy.

I'll be happy when the next US elections come around and someone sensible actually wins. Nobel peace prize laureate my ***. America deserves better than him.

 

[janon]

Call me cynical, but I find USAID to be a double edged sword. Not only is this aid making the receiving nation more dependent on it, this aid is also being used as a political tool to get non-compliant governments to do what the US wants.

The US treats India like a friend and offers trade and technology, but Pakistan is treated like a stray dog that should be thankful that the US is even partly paying for the services that Pakistan is providing the US with. Mark my words, the US needs Pakistan more than it needs India, if they keep pushing Pakistan away, they'll face a disaster with their so called "Asia pivot".

In this case, the aid is going directly to people on the ground, not from govt to govt. Scholarships for children of people who died in conflicts, as well as vocational training for women. Both will serve to empower girls/women in the region. I don't see how that can make the nation dependent.

Aid money given to countries, yes thats a double edged sword.

 

[That Guy]

In this case, the aid is going directly to people on the ground, not from govt to govt. Scholarships for children of people who died in conflicts, as well as vocational training for women. Both will serve to empower girls/women in the region. I don't see how that can make the nation dependent.

Aid money given to countries, yes thats a double edged sword.

Of course it's used as a political tool. It may not be gov to gov, but it still provides the US to use as ammunition in the world stage to make Pakistan look bad. You and I both know that they use this tactic every time to prop up anti-Pakistani sentiment on US soil, whenever a diplomatic crisis erupts between the two. They did it when they killed 24 of our soldiers unprovoked, and tried to use this situation against Pakistan to make it look like it's Pakistan's fault.

Besides, if they didn't turn Pakistan into an undeclared war zone, this wouldn't even be needed in the first place. They're giving this money to victims of terrorist attacks, which is fine, but what about those victims of drone strikes? You'll never hear about them, because as far as the US is concerned, they don't exist.

This is what angers me, as it would any decent human being. I'll be glad when this war is over, but with the mess the US has created, and is leaving the region with, I doubt it will end anytime soon.

I'm thankful for the American people, who feel outraged by this entire situation as much as I am, but those that support the government blindly disgust me.

 

[janon]

...
When will your president realize that Pakistani lives aren't simply for him to decide if they live or die? Don't give me that sorry excuse of "terrists do boomboom", it doesn't change the fact that the US has killed hundreds of Pakistanis because your president is trigger happy.

I'll be happy when the next US elections come around and someone sensible actually wins. Nobel peace prize laureate my ***. America deserves better than him.

If you mean the drone strikes, have you considered that they also save many Pakistani lives, by eliminating terrorist group leadership? How many top leaders of the TTP have been taken out by drones? How many lives would have been lost, if Pakistani forces had to mount operations to kill or capture them? How many lives would have been lost, and what cost would have to be paid by society if they were not killed at all, but built and expanded their networks and carried out their nefarious activities freely, with no fear of drones or death?

 

[That Guy]

If you mean the drone strikes, have you considered that they also save many Pakistani lives, by eliminating terrorist group leadership? How many top leaders of the TTP have been taken out by drones? How many lives would have been lost, if Pakistani forces had to mount operations to kill or capture them? How many lives would have been lost, and what cost would have to be paid by society if they were not killed at all, but built and expanded their networks and carried out their nefarious activities freely, with no fear of drones or death?

How many of these strikes have killed innocent people? hundreds. You and I both know that these strikes have given more recruits to the TTP than it has hindered them. The one guy (Mehsud) who was indicating that he was willing to negotiate without preconditions was killed in a drone strike, and was replaced by someone even more ruthless. Now look at where we are.

The drones don't do anything other than create more targets for the drones, It's a catch-22. Tribal people are joining the TTP because of drone strikes, and the government's complicity (because of fucking aid), the drones are used against the TTP recruits (with "permission by the government"), and the government is complicit because it is dependent on aid, which is received in exchange of the drones strikes.

There is no end to this, the US has successfully created an endless conflict in the region. The only one who can end this is the US, not anyone else, but they're not going to.

 

[janon]

...

There is no end to this, the US has successfully created an endless conflict in the region. The only one who can end this is the US, not anyone else, but they're not going to.

How do you think the US can end it? They can leave, and will. But the TTP is not going to disappear. Their aims are much broader than simply hitting the state of Pakistan for complicity in drone strikes - they want to wage war until their aim of sharia is met, and democracy is laid to rest.

How exactly can the US put an end to that conflict? Only Pakistan can. At most, the US can take out key leaders via drones, which you are against. But putting an end to it? I don't see how anybody other than Pak can do that.

 

[That Guy]

How do you think the US can end it? They can leave, and will. But the TTP is not going to disappear. Their aims are much broader than simply hitting the state of Pakistan for complicity in drone strikes - they want to wage war until their aims of sharia is met, and democracy is laid to rest.

How exactly can the US put an end to that conflict?

Here is the thing, and this is probably the only thing I agree with Imran Khan on, a large chunk of the TTP factions in the tribal region are only fighting because of Pakistani support for the US, and consider the aid as simply bribing Pakistani government. Once the US leaves, a lot of them will simply go home, and if the US actually starts up trade with Pakistan, the rest may lose motivation as well. The ones that don't, and continue their campaign, Pakistan will have a legitimate excuse (and even public support) to go after them with a massive operation. Why do you think Pakistan is hesitating to go in right now, despite enormous US pressure currently being put on the Nawaz government? because Nawaz doesn't have the public and political support.

Ex-CIA head of the Bin Laden-unit Micheal Scheuer is right when he says that the US has left Pakistan with a mess, and Pakistan has done more for the US than they should expect anyone to do.

The entire situation is ridiculous, and I find it ignorant of the US government to continue to ignore Pakistan's concerns and continue it's policy of treating Pakistan as a mercenary for hire.

Americans are finally starting to realize (thanks to the internet) about the shit the US is doing.

Okay, I need to get home now, my computer is still busted, and using school computers is really bad, because the computers are shit.

 

[CENTCOM]

You are correct “That Guy”, I will not only call you a cynic but I will also say that you do not have your research done either. Do you know the United States is one of Pakistan’s biggest trade partners? For your information, only in 2013 the United States imported 3.6 billion dollars worth of goods from Pakistan. Textile products taking the largest chunk followed by computer software. You keep forgetting that around 50,000 Pakistanis have been killed by terrorists who have boldly and proudly claimed responsibility and yet you blame our president for them? USAID has been directly supporting common Pakistanis with education, energy, agriculture and medicine issues. What is so wrong about it? To move forward and achieve something one has to get out of the conspiracy theories. I do not claim that we have never had any challenges in our relationship with Pakistan but I will claim this that we have always worked through these challenges. The United States is very happy to see Pakistan progress and prosper. We have always said that a strong and stable Pakistan is in the best interest of all its neighbors and we have stood by Pakistan in its times of needs. That is the truth.


Abdul Quddus
DET- United States Central Command

 

[Missile]

First kill them and destroy whole country then recognise them by giving them some peanuts. What kind of mess us created for us only Pakistanis or afghans or other Asian nations can understand. Get out from Asia everything would be normal.