The US House of Representatives has voted for three legislative amendments to impose tougher conditions for reimbursement of defence funding to Pakistan, making it conditional to Islamabad showing satisfactory progress in its fight against terrorism.
The conditions are related to Pakistan's support to terrorists and terror outfits, about which several top US officials and lawmakers have repeatedly expressed concern about in the past.
All the three legislative amendments to the $651 billion National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2018 were adopted by a voice vote by the lower house of the Congress on Friday.
The bill, as passed by the House, requires the Secretary of Defence to certify, prior to making any reimbursement to Pakistan, that Islamabad is maintaining security along the Ground Lines of Communication through Pakistan, taking demonstrable steps to support counter terrorism operations, disrupting cross border attacks, and countering the threat of improvised explosive devices.
Two of these amendments were moved by Congressmen Dana Rohrabacher and one by Ted Poe.
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One of Poe's amendment, as passed by the House proposes to withhold reimbursement funding for Pakistan unless the Secretary of Defence can certify that Pakistan is not providing military, financial or logistical support to any individuals designated by the US as a terrorist operating in Pakistan or Afghanistan.
NDAA, as passed by the House, now requires that the Pentagon assesses Pakistan's support for known terrorists before handing over US dollars to Islamabad, Poe said.
“Making excess military equipment available to federal, state, and law enforcement agencies along our southern border will provide the much-needed support and reinforcements to the men and women who are our first line of defence,” he said.
The legislative amendment moved by Rohrabacher adds a stipulation requiring that prior to the disbursement of certain funds, the Secretary of Defence certify to Congress that Pakistan is not using its military or any funds or equipment provided by the US to persecute minority groups seeking political or religious freedom.
Another Rohrabacher amendment expresses a sense of Congress that Shakil Afridi is an international hero and that the Government of Pakistan should release him immediately from prison.
Dr Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani physician, is a hero to whom the people of the United States, Pakistan and the world owe a debt of gratitude for his help in finally locating Osama bin Laden before 10 more innocent American, Pakistani and other lives were lost to this terrorist leaderRohrabacher
Pakistan's imprisonment of Afridi presents a serious and growing impediment to the United States' bilateral relations with Pakistan, said the amendment as passed by the House of Representatives.
(With PTI inputs)
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