US aid to be given if Pak addresses concerns: US

Washington: The US has told Pakistan that the hold on its military aid worth $ 800 million to Islamabad would be lifted as soon as it addresses America's concern on visas and defence trainers.

"There is an ongoing review, as there always is about Coalition Support Fund reimbursements. So these things are just ongoing. I would not characterise it as dramatic," Pentagon spokesperson Marine Lt Col Dave Lapan told reporters during an off camera briefing.

"I would not call it (suspension of military aid to Pakistan) a dramatic step," he said.

"It is part and parcel of the fact that the Pakistanis asked us to reduce our trainers and so with fewer trainers there wasn't the need for certain amount of equipment; there had been challenges in getting visas for US military personnel that go along with some of the equipment that's being provided

and with not having those visas approved there is no need to provide the equipment those individuals were associated with," he said.

According to Defence Department officials, currently there are under 100 trainers in Pakistan. But the officials refrained from going into specific numbers arguing that the level and type of support varies over time based on the Government of Pakistan's requests and requirements.

Lapan said the hold on these military aid would be lifted as soon as Pakistan addresses America's concerns on visas and trainers.

"Visas are something on which we worked with them all the time. That is not a recent phenomenon. There is always a give and take between how many US military personnel need to come into Pakistan and for what purposes in granting them visas so none of these things are really new," he said.

"Sure", Lapan said when asked if he sees any sign of things moving in a positive direction with regard to lifting the suspension of military aid.

"We always talk about this. We have ups and downs, not only in this relationship but with allies all over the world. We work through them. That is the purpose of military to military engagement. So I do see these improving over time," he said.