Op-Ed on Aid to Pakistan

My friend Chris Fair has a nice op-ed in today's Washington Post about how the aid package to Pakistan should be administered. She argues that aid should be administered through a neural party, such as the World Bank, to avoid the common problems with dependency and resentment.

During several trips to Pakistan in recent months, I have heard from many citizens that they believe Washington is deliberately aiding corrupt people and institutions to ensure that Pakistan remains a vassal state beholden to Washington.

There is a better way: a well-structured trust fund administered by a trusted body such as the World Bank. A similar fund operates successfully in Afghanistan. This trust fund should require Pakistani entities to contribute to their own aid programs, develop a robust plan for execution and adhere to international accounting standards. Information on expenditures should be transparent and available to all, especially Pakistanis.