The United States (US) House of Representatives on July 19
cut USD 650 million from its
military aid to Pakistan amid
warnings that the move will
send a wrong message to the
Pakistani people, reports
Dawn. Senior Republican
lawmakers claimed that they
were trying to tamp down demands
for still deeper reductions
because of conservative anger
at Pakistan’s policies. “During
a debate on the Defence appropriations
bill, Congressman Ted Poe,
a Texas Republican, came to
the floor demanding a USD
1.3 billion cut on US aid
to Pakistan. The Pakistanis
“have proven to be deceptive
and deceitful and a danger
to the United States” and
giving them “more money is
not going to solve the problem,”
he said.
Congressman Norman Dicks, the ranking Democrat on the House
appropriations Committee,
agreed and the House approved
a USD 650 million cut, which
reduces the US funding to
the Pakistani military by
half. Congressional staffers
warn that Pakistan remains
unpopular on Capitol Hill
and that Doctor Shakeel Afridi’s
trial could further imperil
US aid to the country. Republican
Senator Rand Paul is seeking
a direct vote in the Senate
to end all aid to Pakistan.
“If Dr Afridi is still in
jail next week, I will force
this vote,” he declared.
The State Department Spokesman Patrick Ventrell said that US
continues counterterrorism
cooperation with Pakistan,
but had no specific comment
on a House of Representatives
measure proposing USD 650
million cut in aid for the
country in the next fiscal
year. “We obviously continue
to support our Pakistani counterparts
in key areas like counterterrorism,”
he said.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Ambassador to US, Sherry Rehman, while
commenting on the July 18
night vote in the House, said
“the issue is not so much
about the cuts, or the money,
it’s the message this sends
to Pakistan”. She pointed
out that “this bill has still
not become policy”. The bill
now goes to the Senate and
Pakistani diplomats are hoping
that it may be stopped during
conference, a process for
merging the House and Senate
version of a legislative measure. |
