Share this story!            

Non-binding resolution against Pakistan:

Bill links US aid with terror fight

* Pakistan could run risk of losing US assistance in case of failure
* Bush admin opposed to linking aid with counter-terror steps

By Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has come under more pressure, this time from the Senate, to do “more” than it is doing in the fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda or to run the risk of possibly losing US assistance.

A Senate resolution passed on Wednesday night, although non-binding, is part of by now a well-established pattern exercising pressure on America’s closest ally in the global ‘war on terrorism’.

US Senate Democrats passed Senate Resolution 99 on Wednesday night, following a similar resolution earlier passed by the House - HR 1 - intended to pressure Pakistan to improve on its present effort against terrorism. However, it stopped short of threatening to cut off military aid. The Senate proposal did not go as far as the House measure, but it will nevertheless act as an irritant for Islamabad.

While those working to bring Pakistan to heel hope that enough pressure can be put on the Bush administration to block the 16 aircraft the US has agreed to sell to Pakistan, it is not likely to happen. US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said in no uncertain terms when he appeared before a House sub-committee earlier on Wednesday that the Bush administration was opposed to linking US assistance with Pakistan’s performance.

The Senate resolution said it was “intended to put Congress on record as making clear that military assistance to Pakistan will be assessed in the context of efforts in cracking down on the Taliban and Al Qaeda,” the clear implication being that further legislation will be introduced in case it is considered necessary. The House bill requires the president to certify that Pakistan is doing its maximum to deal with the Taliban and the Al Qaeda before further financial aid is released to it.

The Senate legislation will be attached to the Senate version of an anti-terror bill whose House version is more strongly worded. The differences between the two versions will be reconciled by a conference committee of the two houses of Congress.

Senate aides said they expected the proposal by senators Joseph Biden, the Foreign Relations chairman, and senior members John Kerry and Chris Dodd to replace the House version, in part because of strong White House opposition, a report by AP said.

The Senate resolution said, “Military aid to Pakistan should be guided by demonstrable progress in achieving certain objectives related to counterterrorism and democratic reforms.”

Home | Main

Share this story!