Pakistan Terrorism Accountability bill introduced in Congress

Bill says $50 million per victim be given to those killed as a result of "ISI actions or other groups supported."

WASHINGTON: Congressman Dana Rohrabacher said he was introducing the Pakistan Terrorism Accountability Act 2012 in Congress, which asks the US Government to provide $50 million each to any American citizen killed "as a result of actions of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) or support provided by the ISI to other organizations or individuals, including the Haqqani Network".

The bill says that the $50 million per victim be withheld from US assistance to Pakistan.

The draft bill also asks for the Secretary of Defense to certify every month how many US citizens have been killed as a result of support by the ISI to the Haqqani Network and other organizations.

The Republican congressman, who is also the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and has previously introduced legislation asking for the Baloch people to be given the right of self-determination, says, “For too long America has funded the Pakistani government, giving  it free money, while elements of the ISI and Pakistan’s military operate radical Islamic groups that are actively murdering Americans. Americans will not accept this.”

In a press release, Rep Rohrabacher said, “Pakistan has for decades leveraged radical terrorist groups to carry out attacks in India and Afghanistan, Pakistan helped to create the Taliban and Pakistan’s intelligence service hid Osama bin Laden from the US for years."

"Today, one of the most dangerous and sophisticated groups killing American troops in Afghanistan is the Haqqani Network, which is closely operated by the Pakistani government.”

The bill has been referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.