Ignoring objections of the White House, the Republican majority House of Representatives has approved the National Defence Authorisation Act which blocks $450 million aid to Pakistan for failing to take action against the dreaded Haqqani Network.
The NDAA 2017 (H R 4909) was passed by the United States House of Representatives (277-147) Wednesday night, which among others included approval of three major amendments reflecting the strong anti-Pak sentiment prevailing among US lawmakers. As a result, as per the House version of the Bill, the Obama administration must certify that Pakistan has met before releasing $450 million in aid.
Congressman Dana Rohrabacher’s amendment adds an additional requirement that 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.
The NDAA-2017 also includes the sense of the Congress that Shakil Afridi is an international hero and that the government of Pakistan should release him immediately from prison.
Early this week, the White House had expressed strong objections to several provisions of the bill, including the one related to $450 million in aid to Pakistan.
Speaking on the floor of the House, Congressman Ted Poe alleged that the Haqqani Network and the Taliban killed more Afghan civilians and troops than in any other year since the Taliban was toppled in 2001.
“My amendment adds a fourth condition on the aid to Pakistan. This new condition requires the administration to certify that Pakistan has shown progress in arresting and prosecuting Haqqani Network senior leaders and mid-level operatives,” he said. “This forces Pakistan to make a choice: either go after the Haqqani Network in a public way that it has never done before or lose hundreds of millions of dollars of US aid,” Mr Poe said.
The amendment moved by Mr Rohrabacher makes it mandatory for the administration to certify that Pakistan is not using its military or any funds or equipment provided by the United States to persecute minority groups “seeking political or religious freedom,” including the Balochi, Sindhi, and Hazara ethnic groups and minority religious groups, including Christian, Hindu, and Ahmadiyya Muslim.
“It is time to end this irrational support that we give to Pakistan,” Mr Rohrabacher demanded on the floor of the House, arguing that the US has given more than $30 billion in aid since 2002.
“It is only prudent that we increase certification required to release American military or economic aid to Pakistan,” he said.
“It behooves us not to finance Pakistan’s brutal suppression of ethnic groups and religious minorities like the Baloch and the Sindhis who are under attack today simply for seeking their political and religious freedom,” he said.
“I would ask my colleagues to join with me and to stand also with the people around the world. Send a message: If you stand with the US, we will not forget you; we will stand with you.
