LAHORE, May 20 (Reuters) - Pakistan's biggest province has
cancelled six aid agreements with the United States in protest
over the secret U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden, its law
minister said on Friday.
Pakistan hailed bin Laden's death as a big step against
militancy but was incensed by the raid in the garrison town of
Abbottabad, saying it was a violation of sovereignty.
The operation has severely strained ties between the United
States and Pakistan, whose cooperation is needed to stabilise
Afghanistan.
"We have cancelled six MOUs (memorandums of understanding)
with the United States in the fields of health, education and
solid waste management," said Rana Sanaullah, Law Minister of
Punjab, the country's most populated province and its political
nerve centre.
"We have conveyed their concerned departments about our
decision. This is our protest against the Abbottabad incident."
The Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) opposition party, which
rules Punjab, has called for a review of the country's ties with
Washington, urging the central government to reduce reliance on
foreign aid.
A PML-N spokesman said Punjab had been expected to get 20
billion rupees ($232.55 million) for welfare projects in the
next three years from the United States.
Bin Laden's presence in Pakistan has led to calls by some
U.S. congressmen to cut aid to the country, which is heavily
dependent on American financial assistance.
U.S. Navy SEALs killed bin Laden on May 2, not far from the
capital Islamabad.
The United States says there is no evidence Pakistan's
leadership was aware he was in their country, and top U.S.
defence officials, speaking in Washington this week, cautioned
against any action that could harm ties with
Islamabad.
(Reporting by Mubasher Bukhari; Writing by Augustine Anthony:
Editing by Michael Georgy)
© 2013 Thomson/Reuters. All rights reserved.