Bhuj: Defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that Pakistan will use money received from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for terror funding. Singh was on a visit to Air Force Station Bhuj in Gujarat, where he congratulated air warriors for their role in Operation Sindoor.
“The Pakistan government has also announced financial assistance to rebuild the terror infrastructure of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Muridke and Bahawalpur. A significant portion of the one billion dollars coming from the IMF will certainly be used to fund this terror infrastructure. Would this not be considered indirect funding by the IMF,” Singh said.
Singh questioned the IMF’s decision to disburse a second tranche of US$ 1.023 billion under its Extended Fund Facility programme for Pakistan, despite objections by India. The IMF had claimed that the decision to release the funds was taken before the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
The IMF also maintained that the funds would be used by Pakistan for development and the spending will be monitored. Pakistan, on Wednesday, announced that the next of kin of those killed in Operation Sindoor would receive Rs 1 crore each as compensation.
If this happens, proscribed terrorist and JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar will receive Rs 14 crore as compensation. It has been claimed that 14 of his kin were killed on May 7 after India struck terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
Among those killed were two of Azhar’s brothers-in-law – both of them proscribed terrorists.
Singh’s visit came a day after he travelled to Jammu and Kashmir and reviewed the overall security situation along the Line of Control and International Border.
