Trump proposes to convert US’ grant to Pakistan into loan

TIL Desk/World/Washington/ US President Donald Trump has proposed in his annual budget to the Congress to convert US’ grant to Pakistan for purchasing of military hardware into a loan, the White House said. However, the Trump administration has left it for the State Department to take a final call on the issue.

Unlike many parliamentary democracies like India and the UK, wherein the Finance Minister personally delivers the speech on the floor of the parliament, in the US the White House sends hard copies of the President’s budget proposals. The maiden annual budget of the Trump administration would be submitted to the US Congress later today.

Responding to questions, Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management of Budget in the White House said the Trump administration has proposed to convert its Foreign Military Funding (FMF) programme to many countries, including Pakistan, from aid to financial loan. “The Foreign Military Funding or FMF for Pakistan may be provided in the form of a loan,” said Mulvaney.