WASHINGTON: Two bills, requiring imposition of trade conditions and barring complete transfer of military assistance to Pakistan, have been approved by a US House committee and subcommittee respectively.
The House Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly approved a draft of the National Defense Authorisation Act early Thursday morning. The draft bill calls for a bar on preferential import of goods and services from Pakistan and reducing aid to just 10% of available funds unless Pakistan re-opens the Nato supply route and extends cooperation.
According to a press release issued on Thursday, the bill will now be debated by the House next week. If the House of Representatives passes the bill, it will have to be approved by the US Senate and signed by the President before it becomes law.
The bill of the National Defense Authorisation Act for fiscal year 2013, was introduced by US House Armed Services Committee chairman Rep. Buck McKeon. He also called for a bar on support or reimbursement provided to Pakistan until the Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta provides a report on “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 new bill has also asked the Secretary of Defense to certify that Pakistan’s government is committed to taking action and supporting counterterrorism operations against al Qaeda, associated networks, Haqqani Network, domestic and foreign terrorist organisations, dismantling the IED networks and preventing proliferation of nuclear materials. The certification also has to cite whether Pakistan is committed to issuing visas “in a timely manner for United States visitors engaged in counterterrorism efforts and assistance programs in Pakistan.”
The bill of the National Defense Authorisation Act is stipulated for fiscal year 2013, while extending the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Funds, also requires the Secretary of Defense, with the Secretary of State’s agreement, to submit updates on what their strategy is to utilise the fund, and what metrics are used to determine progress in the PCF.
The draft bill also has a provision that would “limit the authority of the Secretary of Defense to obligate or expend funds made available to the Pakistan Counterinsurgency 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.”
The draft bill will be debated on Wednesday, May 9, which, according to a press release, “extends the prohibition on the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the United States.”
House Appropriations Subcommittee
In a separate bill, the US House Appropriations Subcommittee for State and Foreign Operations has called for no economic or security assistance to be given to Pakistan until the Secretary of State certifies that Pakistan is co-operating and taking action against terrorist networks. The bill, passed on Wednesday, has been referred to the full committee. No date has been announced for the full committee session yet.
According to the draft of the fiscal year 2013 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, the House subcommittee has proposed that no assistance under Economic Support Fund, International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement, Foreign Military Financing Program and the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund be released until the Secretary of State certifies to the Appropriations committee.
The Government of Pakistan, according to the draft bill, must cooperate with the US in counterterrorism efforts against the Haqqani Network, al Qaeda, Quetta Shura Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and other domestic and foreign terrorist organisations. Similarly, Pakistan must also end support or such groups and “prevent them from basing and operating in Pakistan and carrying out cross border attacks into neighbouring countries.” The draft bill says the US Secretary of State must certify that Pakistan is not supporting terrorist activities against US or coalition forces in Afghanistan.
In another stipulation, the certification requires that Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies are not “intervening extra-judicially into political and judicial processes in Pakistan.” The draft bill also calls for Pakistan to dismantle the IED networks, prevent proliferation of nuclear material, and give humanitarian organisations access to detainees, IDPs and those affected by the conflict.
The Secretary of State will also have to certify that Pakistan is issuing visas in a timely manner to US visitors involved in counterterrorism or aid operations.
A press release on the subcommittee’s website says that the bill has slashed funding for the Global War on terror by $3 billion to $8.2 billion, which has reduced funding for programs in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
COMMENTS (42)
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Yet again tactics before "Chicago Summit" ....these are just to pressurize "GOP" .... but US doest know cutting aid will not bring out any thing by "our President" ... thy may achieve desired results if thy pass the bill to increase the aid by many folds .....
seems thy dont know our Govt uptill now :)
@DB: Dear DB, You are quite right in saying that Pakistan has more than one type of tax. I am not really certain how many forms of taxes Pakistan has, but I am sure much has been learned from Western countries, who have made an art form of gouging money out of their long suffering taxpayers. As everyone know there is direct tax and indirect tax. Direct tax is useful for extracting money from the middle class, but not the wealthy because they hire good tax accountants. In recent times governments have started using indirect taxes more and more, and these are the taxes which hit everybody, but are really designed to make the poor pay tax. There are hundreds of different indirect taxes, and I could list many of them, if not all, if the Tribune would spare me several pages. However, I do not think that Pakistan will suffer unduly from a lack of taxes. As for Government people, and this includes politicians/public/civil servants they always look after themselves whilst working, and after retirement with generous pensions. Get used to it folks. It is a fact of life and all countries do it. The bottom line to this comment is that Pakistan will get by one way or another when U.S. aid money dries up, which it eventually must.
The American war on Afghanistan has taken many thousands of innocent lives in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Its still not clear how many terrorists have died ? but one thing is sure many thousands of innocent people have died.
It is also true that the Pakistan ISI has not been honest to the Americans about OBL.
However 2 wrongs done make a right. Pakistani people do not deserve to suffer
After all this ,US wishes to punish Pakistan further by imposing economic sanctions.
This is American friendship for you.
The Pakistani people need to elect Imran Khan who is a true Pakistani hero.
Other than that, i feel Pakistan will find it very difficult to improve the condition of the common people
Who cares. Pakistan has not recieved any military aod wince 2009 and civilian aid is only 300 million, most of this goes to anerican ngos and training pro american pakistani journalist. If Civilians afr corrupt and dangerous pak military has right to intervene.
US economy is in recession anyway, we buy alot lot more from them than they buy from us
@Naeem Khan:
Wow! Perfect analysis, perfectly presented.
Wow! Perfect analysis, perfectly presented.
@Patna Se:
"@ SNU Ahmad: As the saying goes some thing like this that “The ghosts of shoes don’t understand polite talk”. I think it goes – ‘Those used to kicks cannot be reasoned with.’ (Laaton ke bhoot baaton se nahi maante)"
Absolutely right. I used to say that for Indian commentators "Indians are different species with whom facts, logic, and reasoning does not work".
@Lala Gee: People like you are so annoyingly selective in what you see and hear. You also have almost zero insight into how people work. The corrupt do not take sacrifices laying down. They make the citizens pick up the tab.
@Saim Baig: You're not getting one and you're really, really overestimate the integrity of your country. Pakistan is like a spoiled child. Always nagging for more until you've had enough so you take away their toys as punishment, then after a long stretch of temper tantrums and crying they submit for another stretch of time until it repeats the process.
Not fair. US Aid should be like mother's love: totally unconditional.
60 percent of our exports go to US and EU. But we can live without that. Look at Somalia; they have no money to buy oil, but people are still living!
Pl. also publish the place of residence of your e-mailers. Many e-mails are from Indians in India or abroad who are misusing this forum for nonserious, stupid and nonsence comments for fun or for whatever reasons.
@ SNU Ahmad: As the saying goes some thing like this that “The ghosts of shoes don’t understand polite talk”
I think it goes - 'Those used to kicks cannot be reasoned with.' (Laaton ke bhoot baaton se nahi maante)
why don't "ghairati pakistani" say no to american aid first ? why they are waiting for official confirmation ?
@Mirza:
You too need a correction. Pakistanis are by now 200 million. They crossed 197 million in 2011 without FATA. Do you need link? Google uncle is next to me and you both to oblige.
@Mirza: Income tax is not the only type of tax. I hope you realize this.
It is time for Pakistani nation to stand up and be counted, American support was always hinged upon the subservience of the Pakistani nation, Those who has been living on American handouts should either tighten their belts or get out of Pakistan if they can't live with some dignity and respect. They have accumulated millions overseas by corruption anyway. Now it is not in the interest of Pakistan to open the routes and I will suggest to close down even the air space too. Some time the US congressman shoots from the hip and also shoot their foot at the same time. Pakistan will never be a sovereign State if they begin to oblige these congressman. Let them use Russian air space and land routes for their supply. This war has dragged on for too long and Pakistan has paid a very heavy price for that conflict in money and lives , these congressmen will never understand, all they think is that Pakistanis owe them because they have installed the most corrupt government in the history of Pakistan. where are the members of the parliament who could stand up for the country.Forget about Zardari and his PM, I wish he stays there in London, how long they are going to loot this country.There must be accountability of these people.
Now that trade is a problem with USA, Europe will soon follow as being in NATO. So in other words trade with major trading partners becomes a big fat ZERO. Next move is to brand Pakistan a terrorist country and USA declares a war on Pakistan banks. All the inflow of remittance from Paki outside will dry up. Now is the time for Pak to stand upright.
I am going away to find job in UAE so that the family can get food to eat.
The best part is that there will be no more transfer of military assistance. The big boys will now have to pay hard cash for their toys.
@Robin:
"In case you have forgotten only 2% pakistanis pay taxes and the whole of Pakistan feeds on alms dropped by America. I hope you have an alternate alternative, as our aaka, China refuses to feed us. Sad but true =("
If anybody benefits by the US alms is the corrupt political, civil, and military elites who send this money back to the western economy by laundering it or by importing the luxury items. Hardly a penny out this money is spent on masses. In fact, this alms is the need of USA more than of Pakistan. Pakistan will fare much better without this peanut alms and in return avoid damages of 100 times.
As the saying goes some thing like this that "The ghosts of shoes don't understand polite talk", it is now high time that Pakistan should immediately stop the use of its air space for any military traffic for Afghanistan. And then see how the U.S. will bend to its knees and beg to Pakistan for mercy.
Thank you for taking this step.... we appreciate it.
Yea please take your aid and we neither need your markets, as our exports rarely make enough money. However it is better to live peacefully, than dying because of you sucking aid. This aid money goes into the tummys of filthy rich politicians who spends nothing on an ordinary man. You will only cut politicians stipend.
Our finance minister has just approach IMF for more than $4 billion loan to keep us from going bankrupt. What if USA uses her muscles to put pressure on IMF to not to lend to pakistan? Pakistani rupee is likely to cross 100/$. Sad thing is, we have posters still showing empty bravado!
No trade and end to transfer of military assistance. Good news. Pakistan can now stand on its own feet but there is a shortfall of $10.5 billion in the coming budget. Hope China can donate this amount.
I am a Taxpayer in Pakistan, I have No Retirement Income from Government of Pakistan.The Military, Vast Pakistan Civil Servants both National and Provincial Plus Semi and Public Sector Employee Enjoy Retiment Benefit from our Tax. The Taxpayer of Pakistan Do Not Get Any Retirement Benefit. The Tax Payment Should Also Include Those Pakistani Citizens Paying Tax as well as Filing Tax Return. We Look Forward to PPP to Include Common Taxpayer for Benefits Reaching Age Sixty and Over.
@SomeoneFromSomewhere, commoners aren't exactly living in a paradise at the moment. I do hope common sense will prevail and our leaders will stop being slaves.
Be not afraid but have faith in yourself. Self-reliance makes one strong. Make changes within yourself to succeed. Don't rely on others. China never did and look where it is. You have a model right in front of you. Emulate it. All right paths are hard and require sacrifice. Get rid of dual-national citizens in our assemblies, establishment and bureaucracy. There is an inherent conflict of interest that makes it impossible for Pakistan to succeed..
It is blatant arm twisting and coercion which must be out rightly rejected and condemned. Hopefully this will turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Pakistan.
@Batman/@Student/@Awais/@Romm...........you have no clue how bankrupt Pakistani economy is. I hope common sense prevail else commoners will suffer most!!
@Robin: You were kind to say that 2% pay taxes it is less than 2%. But again we are a legand in our own mind and deny anything and everything we do not like. Thanks and regards, Mirza
Here is the actual news: "Out of more than 170 million Pakistanis, fewer than 2 percent pay income tax, making Pakistan’s revenue from taxes among the lowest in the world, a notch below Sierra Leone’s as a ratio of tax to gross domestic product."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/world/asia/19taxes.html?pagewanted=all
@Robin, wow talk about exaggeration of US aid to Pakistan.
Blackmailing wont help, U.S must give an unconditional apology before even thinking about it.
we dont need any thing from us..............but allow nato supply,
We have faced all this in the shape of Brown Amendment in post Afghan war and Geneva agreement. Nothing special..... then we were $2bn economy, now we are 40 Bn. so, relax....
Its a blessing in disguise
@ Robin: I don't think so. Feel free to visit Pakistan and look for yourself. (2%) really?... What a bogus world we live in today. People throw percentages right and left.. How did you come up with this number? I would like to see your reference (any spreadsheet may be? showing your calculations?)
Robin Sir,
Dear sir, can you cite your sources for these two claims. Much obliged.
timely issue, will be solved soon.
Very good news for Pakistani people