Did Manmohan Singh fund infrastructure in Pakistan?

New Delhi: Geo News, a media outlet from Pakistan, reported that during his term as Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh was behind the infrastructure development in his ancestral village located in Pakistan. 

According to the report, Singh not only constructed excellent roads but also arranged for solar systems and Reverse Osmosis (RO) water purification systems throughout the village, which is situated 25 kilometers west of Chakwal city in Punjab, Pakistan. 

A viral video of Geo TV’s report was shared by many people questioning the morality of such actions by an Indian Prime Minister towards an "enemy foreign government". 

An X handle BhikuMhatre asked if it was valid on moral grounds for an Indian PM to engage in such activities, considering the message it sends.

Many other handles raised similar concerns.

Shocking if True!🙄

Pakistan's media outlet Geo News says-

During his term as PM, Manmohan Singh built excellent roads in his ancestral village in Pakistan. He also arranged solar systems & RO systems throughout village....with "Indian" taxpayers' money.pic.twitter.com/wuhyar3GdY

— BhikuMhatre (@MumbaichaDon) December 29, 2024

While the Geo News story stands true, the narrative that India spent taxpayers’ money for development works in Pakistan was found misleading.

A report published in NDTV in 2012 clearly stated that Singh wrote to Pakistan's then ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, asking that Gah be earmarked for development.

Musharraf, at the time working on peace talks that he hoped would resolve India and Pakistan's conflict over Kashmir, was happy to oblige.

The provincial government in Punjab built a decent road from the motorway to the village, high schools for boys and girls, a hospital, veterinary clinic and hooked the village up to the water supply, the NDTV report said.

The report, however, added that Singh sent an Indian firm to install solar-powered street lights, solar-powered lights to 51 households that did not have electricity and a water heating system at the mosque close to the site of his destroyed home.

Thus, it is clear that the viral video was used to target the former prime minister once again after his death.