US committee bill places conditions upon aid to Pakistan
WASHINGTON: The US House Armed Services Committee has placed strict conditions on the financial and military assistance being given out to Pakistan.
The committee, in the defence budget bill, asked Pakistan to openly support America in the war against terror. It further asked Pakistan to stop the supply of explosive materials used in IED’s to Afghanistan.
The American authorities maintained that the explosives, that were being sent to Afghanistan via Pakistan, were responsible for the deaths and injuries to American troops and that this situation is totally unacceptable to the US.
The said defence budget bill, that already is supported by the representatives of the Republican and Democratic parties, would be presented in the next session.
Reopening of Nato supply routes included in long list of demands: US bills seek ban on trade; 90pc aid cut
WASHINGTON, May 10: The US Congress on Thursday proposed stopping preferential trade with Pakistan and reducing aid to just 10 per cent of available funds unless Islamabad reopened Nato supply routes.
The lawmakers also approved a proposal to stop all reimbursements to the country if Pakistan continued to ignore US demands.
The restrictions, included in two bills passed separately by House panels, are the harshest since Pakistan joined the US-led war against terror 11 years ago.
The restrictions were endorsed by an overwhelming majority as both Republicans and Democrats castigated Pakistan for closing the supply routes and for allegedly patronising various terrorist groups.
“The bill places appropriate conditions on aid to Pakistan,” said Congressman Adam Smith, a ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee. “It is imperative that Pakistan support our counter-terrorism efforts and work to prevent the interdiction of improvised explosive devices to Afghanistan.”
On Wednesday, a House appropriations panel for foreign aid denied $800 million to Pakistan from a special fund for training and equipping Pakistan’s military in counter-insurgency tactics.
During a debate inside the aid panel, Congressman Jesse Jackson accused Pakistan of “harbouring a fugitive” and likened the US-Pakistan relationship to a “bad marriage”.
This bill has been referred to the full committee but no date has yet been announced for the full committee session.
Last week, government officials in Islamabad had told opposition members and lawmakers opposing the reopening of routes that the United States could slap strict sanctions on Pakistan if the supply lines remained closed.
Although the bill adopted by the aid panel specifies an amount — $800 million — the bill passed by the powerful Armed Services Committee on Thursday could have more serious repercussions for Pakistan. It contains language that can be interpreted to stop all military assistance to Pakistan if relations between the two countries continue to deteriorate.
The bill urges Pakistan to tackle all terrorist groups operating from its territory and deal with the menace of improvised explosive devices if it wants to continue receiving US economic and military assistance.
One section of the bill urges “prohibiting preferential procurement of goods or services from Pakistan” until it reopens the ground lines of communication for coalition operations in Afghanistan.
Pakistan closed the supply lines after the Nov 26 US raid on a border post that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
Additionally, this section would prohibit all reimbursements to Pakistan until the US secretary of defence provides a report to Congress that outlines: “the model for reimbursement, including how claims are proposed and adjudicated; new conditions or caveats that the government of Pakistan places on the use of its supply routes; and the new cost associated with transit through supply routes in Pakistan.”
The secretary of defence will also have to certify that Pakistan is committed to: supporting counter-terrorism operations against Al Qaeda, its associated movements, the Haqqani network, and other domestic and foreign terrorist organisations.
Another certification will state that Pakistan is “preventing the proliferation of nuclear-related material and expertise; and issuing visas in a timely manner for United States visitors engaged in counter-terrorism efforts and assistance programmes in Pakistan.”
Section 1217 extends the Pakistan Counter-insurgency Fund through fiscal year 2013 but contains amendments that require the secretaries of defence and state to submit an update on the strategy to utilise the fund, and the metrics used to determine progress with respect to the fund. This section would also limit the authority of the secretary of defence to obligate or expend funds made available to the Pakistan Counter-insurgency Fund during fiscal year 2013 to not more than 10 per cent of the amount available until such time as the update is submitted to the appropriate congressional committees.
On Wednesday afternoon, another panel denied $800 million that was requested for a special fund for training and equipping Pakistan’s military in counter-insurgency tactics.
The overwhelming support to the proposed restrictions on Pakistan indicates that the bill will pass the full House because it enjoys bipartisan support.
The bill authorises $554 billion for national defence and $88.5 billion for overseas contingencies operations. It is nearly $4
billion more than President Obama’s budget request.
Separately, the US House Appropriations Subcommittee for State and Foreign Operations has called for a complete ban on economic or security assistance to Pakistan until the secretary of state certifies that Pakistan is cooperating and taking action against terrorist networks. The House subcommittee has proposed that no assistance under Economic Support Fund, International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement, Foreign Military Financing Programme and the Pakistan Counter-insurgency Capability Fund be released until the secretary of state certifies to the Appropriations Committee. The bill also requires the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies to stop “intervening extra-judicially into political and judicial processes in the country”.
Rs8.83 billion Australian funding for Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, May 10: Pakistan will receive Rs8.83 billion from Australia in official development assistance (ODA) during the fiscal year 2012-13 which begins in July, the Australian government announced on Thursday.
The ODA assistance for Pakistan represents an increase of Rs330 million over the level of outgoing fiscal year.
“Australia remains committed to working with Pakistan to address its development challenges, as demonstrated by this substantial allocation, which will make it Australia’s ninth largest country programme,” said Ambassador Tim George, Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan in a statement issued here.
This is part of the government’s overall commitment to increase the size of the Australian aid programme to Rs476 billion from Rs440 billion in 2011-12. This increase will maintain Australia’s ODA at 0.35 per cent of its Gross National Income, he said.
Australia is committed to increasing its ODA to 0.5 per cent of GNI by 2016-17, at a time when much of the world continues to face economic uncertainty, the Australian High Commission statement said.
Managed by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), Australia’s aid programme in Pakistan is guided by the Australia-Pakistan Development Partnership, which underlines the commitment of both countries to a long term development relationship, and to mutual responsibilities in this engagement.
Australia also aims to support effective governance and provide post-disaster assistance and support for disaster risk reduction activities across Pakistan.
An increase in health funding will assist Pakistan to strengthen its national and provincial health systems to provide greater access to quality maternal and child health services, saving the lives of women and children.Education will continue to be a flagship sector of the Australian aid programme in Pakistan.
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