Funding from US government was ended to$15 million project for University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF).

After the completion of 50% of work on US-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security project, a notification is issued by US government for termination of the fund.

The termination letter issued immediately after the announcement from Pentagon to hold back $50 million compensations as he Coalition Support Fund based on the excuse that has Islamabad conducted proper counter-terrorism operations against the Taliban that are affiliated to Haqqani network.

It seems as administration of Trump pledged a tougher stance against Pakistan” is happening in this way. Pakistan tells the US that to withhold money is actually repayment, not aid.

Since December 2014, 79 employees, even more, have been terminated along with the project and funding that was mandated for the period of 5 years under ‘USAID from the American People’ programme.

For the sake of sustainability and continuity of projects, the Pakistani government guaranteed to continue even after completion to achieve its target-oriented results.  Among the 79 employees in each of 39 recruited by the UAF and outside, respectively for the 5-year contract.

Dr. Nancy J Allen, Director Coordination of Party and her assistant Huma John – were stationed at the UAF, five other American nationals – Prof Dr. Jim Hill, Dr. Muhammad Javed Iqbal, Diane Jelcogon, Lavi Mc Garry, and Steve –stationed at the University of Davis, USA were appended to the ongoing project.

Vice Chancellor, UAF, Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan, was served with the ‘notice of award termination’ and he is also the chief of party of the project, by Mr. Alina T Menicucci, Agreement Officer of the USAID programme.

Acting in accordance with the notice, Pakistan has to submit all of the final invoices, completed project deliverables and/or settlement plans until September 21, 2017.

The five-years project cost $15 million of which $6.2 million spent on payment of salary to staff, purchase of equipment for the lab, library and other material. The construction three-storey building over 56,000 sq. ft. has cost about $5 million. The building has a basement, 12 modern labs, lecture theater and rooms, and conference rooms equipped with latest facilities.

Dr. Inger Ahmad Khan said describing the situation as harsh that this is equivalent to waste the efforts of research scholars that are passionate to achieve the far-reaching goal of the project. The project already has outstanding outcomes that will be lost with their future impact. The center was up to enter a new phase of production in the strengthening of the partnership between UAF and UC Davis continued to deliver the most sustainable long-term relationships.

He added that at midterm, the termination was stressful effects on ongoing activities and achievements of the future too. This has weakened the gains that have been made for resources of UC Davis, UAF, and USAID.