Report: U.S. Aid Funding the Pakistani Taliban

“The amount has been paid through a backchannel, ” a senior security official told AKI on condition of anonymity. “It is compensation for those who were killed during military operations and compensation for the properties destroyed by the security forces. In fact, negotiations for this package were finalised well before Maulana Sufi Mohammad signed a peace deal.” The security official said the amount was delivered from a special fund of president Asif Ari Zardari. All the tribal areas come under the president’s jurisdiction and a special aid package, including a donation from the US, was designated for the tribal area by the president’s office and distributed through the governor’s office in the North West Frontier Province. “Some other smaller amounts are also under negotiation which shall also be delivered soon,” the official confirmed.