US Congressional bill to Pak: Stop supporting terror in India

A US bill seeking to triple non-military aid to Pakistan to a massive USD 1.5 billion annually has asked Islamabad to stop supporting terror groups active in India, recognising that certain elements in its establishment, specially ISI, have aided and trained such organisations over the past few decades.

The Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement (PEACE) Act, carrying bi-partisan support, has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Howard L Berman, chairman of powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee. An identical bill is scheduled to be tabled in Senate soon.

The bill aimed at trippling the aid to Pakistan to USD 1.5 billion per annum for the next five years is part of the new Af-Pak policy of US president Barack Obama.

Unlike the Bush Administration wherein there was no accountability of the USD 10 billion given to Pakistan post 9/11 attacks, the new bill not only tends to make Islamabad accountable for the every penny spent, but also lists out do's and don'ts for the Islamabad Government.

Noting that certain elements in Pakistani establishment, specially ISI, have supported, aided and trained organisations to carry out terrorist activities in India over the past few decades, the PEACE bill imposes condition on Pakistan not to "support any person or group that conducts violence, sabotage or other activities meant to instill fear or terror in India."

Without directly naming disgraced Pakistani scientist AQ Khan, the bill asks Islamabad to ensure access of US investigators to individuals suspected of engaging in worldwide proliferation of nuclear materials and restrict such individuals from any travel or any other activity that could result in further proliferation,

The 59-page bill enjoys bi-partisan support. Besides Berman, it has been co-sponsored by congressmen Ron Kirk (Republican from Illinois), Gary Ackerman (Democrat from New York), Edward Royce (Democrat from California), Sheila Jackson-Le (Democrat from Texas), Brad Sherman (Democrat from California) and Robert Wexler (Democrat from New York).

The bill has the support of Obama, who last week urged the Congress to approve USD 1.5 billion per annum non-military aid to Pakistan for the next five years at the earliest.

Among other prominent conditions imposed on Pakistan in lieu of the massive US aid are closure of madrassas having links with terrorist organisations and a strict scrutiny and control of the syllabus of these madrassas, which have been a breeding ground for terrorists.

Pakistan, particularly the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, as well as areas under central government authority such as Quetta in Balochistan and Muridke in Punjab remain a sanctuary for al-Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban and affiliated groups from which these groups organise terrorist acts against Pakistan and other countries, the bill says.