U.N. suspends development work in northwest Pakistan

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Basit said he would reserve comment on the U.N.'s decision to suspend long-term development work until he had a chance to review the group's statement.

The U.N. has been deeply involved in helping Pakistan deal with refugee crises that have popped up because of army offensives against militants in the northwest. It assisted in relief camps set up to house some of the 2 million people displaced by an operation launched this spring in the Swat Valley.

It is also providing relief goods for those forced to leave South Waziristan because of an offensive last month against the Taliban and al-Qaida stronghold in the tribal areas. Militants have responded to the operations by launching a wave of attacks against security forces and civilians, including U.N. personnel.

On Oct. 5, a suicide bomber struck an office of the World Food Program in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, killing five people. U.N. workers were also among the 11 killed in a June suicide bombing of the Pearl Continental Hotel in the main northwest city of Peshawar, while a veteran U.N. official was shot dead along with a guard while resisting kidnappers at a northwest Pakistan refugee camp in July.

The U.S. has encouraged the Pakistani government to persevere in its military campaign against Taliban and al-Qaida militants that have used the country's border region as a sanctuary to launch attacks against coalition forces in Afghanistan.

Washington has also stepped up efforts to use development work in Pakistan as a way to alleviate poverty and lessen the allure of religious extremism. The U.S. has pledged to pump $7.5 billion over the next five years to improve Pakistan's economy, education and other non-military sectors.

The U.N.'s decision to suspend long-term development could make it more difficult for the U.S. and the Pakistani government to counter militancy in the country by improving the lives of the people.

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