US lawmaker Abdul raises questions over aid to Pakistan:Says, ‘I do not pay my taxes for them’; Washington provided ₹36,000 crore over 10 years

US Congressman Abdul El-Sayed, who represents Michigan, questioned American military assistance to Pakistan on Saturday, saying taxpayers’ money should not be spent on supplying the country with tanks and weapons. He also questioned US aid to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, raising concerns over the use of American taxpayers’ money to fund military assistance to other countries. According to official US government data, Washington has provided Pakistan with approximately ₹36,000 crore in aid over the past 10 years. How does the US help Pakistan? According to the US Congressional Research Service, the United States provided Pakistan with security assistance worth around ₹75,000 crore between 2002 and 2016. In addition, it paid around ₹1.38 lakh crore to reimburse the costs of military operations. In 2018, the United States halted most of its security assistance to Pakistan over terrorism-related issues. After this, in 2022, the Biden administration approved a proposal worth up to ₹4,000 crore for the maintenance and technical support of Pakistan’s F-16 aircraft. According to US government figures, the United States approved ₹18,000 crore in assistance for Pakistan in 2025. Of this, 98% was for health, education and development projects, while 2% was military assistance. Key reasons behind US assistance to Pakistan The US sells arms to Saudi Arabia In the case of Saudi Arabia, the US provides arms sales and military cooperation instead of direct financial assistance. The US provides the Saudi military with training, technical advice and security equipment. Saudi Arabia bears the cost of these itself. According to the US Congressional Research Service, Saudi Arabia is a major buyer of US arms and military services. In December 2025, the US approved a potential sale worth ₹4,717 crore to supply military equipment to Saudi Arabia. Why the US sells military weapons to Saudi Arabia Egypt receives ₹12,000 crore in aid every year The United States provides Egypt with around ₹12,000 crore in military aid every year. This aid is primarily used to purchase weapons and military equipment. The United States provides Egypt with F-16 fighter aircraft. It also helps fund the purchase of tanks, missiles, radars and other military equipment. Why Egypt receives aid from the United States The same rules should apply to all countries, not just Israel Senator Abdul al-Sayed had earlier discussed the issue in an interview with ABC News. He said American taxpayers’ money should not be used to support countries accused of violating international law. He said the issue should not be limited to Israel. The United States should adopt the same approach towards Egypt, Pakistan and Jordan. Al-Sayed said, “We must ensure that we ourselves remain accountable to international law. We should begin with this first and apply the same rules to all countries.” Demand to halt US arms sales to Israel Abdul Al-Sayed has called for a reduction in US military aid to Israel. He said the US should also halt arms sales to Israel. Al-Sayed alleges that some weapons supplied by the US are being used in actions against Palestinians that amount to genocide and apartheid. He also supported President Donald Trump’s proposal to reduce military aid to Israel. Al-Sayed said Trump’s policy on the matter was correct. Under an agreement between the US and Israel, the US has been providing Israel with military aid worth around ₹36,000 crore every year from 2019 to 2028. Of this, ₹31,000 crore is for purchasing weapons and ₹5,000 crore is for missile defence. US President Donald Trump said on a Fox News programme on 3 November that the US would stop providing Israel with its annual military aid by the end of this year. Israel no longer needs it. Abdul is the first Muslim leader elected to the Senate Abdul al-Sayed of the Democratic Party has won from Michigan in the 2026 midterm elections. He defeated Republican candidate Mike Rogers. With this, he has become the first Muslim to be elected to the US Senate. Forty-two-year-old Abdul was born in Michigan. His parents came to the US from Egypt. He studied at the University of Michigan, Oxford and Columbia University. He was a doctor before entering politics. Abdul’s wife, Dr Sarah Jukaku, is of Indian origin. Her family is connected to Bhatkal in Karnataka. Her grandfather, Jukaku Shamsuddin, served as deputy minister in the finance department of the princely state of Mysore. Organisation (SCO) event in New Delhi from 20 to 22 November. ​