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Bill introduced in Congress to freeze all aid to Pakistan

C K Arora in Washington

Democratic Congressman Steven R Rothman has introduced a bill in the House of Representatives seeking to bar the United States administration from waiving "certain sanctions against Pakistan until President Bill Clinton certifies that Pakistan has a democratically elected government".

The legislation, known as the 'United States Support for a Democratic Pakistan Act of 1999', has been referred, as procedure demands, to the Committee on International Relations and the Committee on Banking and Financial Services, for a period to be determined later by the speaker of the House.

The sanctions were imposed on Pakistan in protest against its May 1998 nuclear tests. Similar sanctions were imposed on India as well.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it says the President may not waive, with respect to Pakistan, the application of any sanction contained in the Arms Export Control Act and Export-Import Bank Act of 1945.

The draft bill seeks to direct the US executive directors at the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, its concessionary lending agency -- the International Development Association, the International Finance Corporation, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency "to use the voice and vote of the United States at each institution to oppose the provision of assistance in any form for any project in Pakistan".

It says the coup d'etat that took place in Pakistan on October 12, 1999, effectively erases much of the progress made by that country towards addressing America's nuclear non-proliferation concerns and seriously compromises the grounds upon which the sanctions were initially waived.

It also defines the idea of a democratically elected government as one that results from a free and fair election in which the opposition parties are permitted ample time, opportunity, and freedom to organise and campaign.

The new government must also show respect for the basic civil liberties and human rights of the people of Pakistan and be committed to ensuring regular free and fair elections.

UNI

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