Japan threatens to slash aid

TOKYO —Major donor Japan warned Tuesday it may cut aid to Pakistan after the military regime declared emergency rule and placed a key opposition leader under house arrest. “I have concerns about the current situation in Pakistan. We’ve been considering increasing official development aid to Pakistan as the country was thought be in the democratisation process and was making efforts in the ‘war on terror,’” Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura told reporters.
“But we may have to examine carefully whether to increase the amount of aid at this point while closely watching the democratisation process in the country,” he said. Asked if Japan may cut its current aid to Pakistan, the foreign minister said: “We’ll consider every option.” Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf, facing a potential setback from the Supreme Court, declared a state of emergency on November 3 which he said was necessary to fight Islamic militants. His government on Monday placed former prime minister and opposition leader Benazir Bhutto under house arrest for the second time since she returned from exile last month.—Agencies