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Pakistan unhappy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday said a draft Bill adopted by the U.S. Congress tying Pakistan’s security aid to results in the war against the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda was reminiscent of the “infamous” Pressler Amendment and “cast a shadow” on the existing co-operation between the two countries.

The Bill was approved in the Senate on Thursday. The House of Representatives passed it on Friday and sent it up to President George W. Bush for his endorsement.

In a lengthy statement, the Pakistan Foreign Office said the Bill on Implementation of 9/11 Commission Recommendations contained references and provisions on “so-called terrorist ‘haven’” and “proliferation networks” in Pakistan. These were unsubstantiated allegations and “disappointing” for Pakistan.

“Inclusion of these references in the bill cannot contribute to the trust that is necessary for the stated U.S. objective to establish a strategic relationship with Pakistan. Similarly, there are unwarranted comments on Pakistan’s bilateral relations with Afghanistan as well as on the political process in Pakistan,” the statement said.

U.S. security assistance to Pakistan was aimed at “capacity-building” and the conditions introduced by the bill for continuing the aid were “reminiscent of the infamous Pressler Amendment that deeply damaged the relationship between the two countries in the past,” it said, referring to the 1985 law that banned military assistance to Pakistan.

The Foreign Ministry reiterated that Pakistan was fighting extremism and terrorism “in its own national interest” through what it considered “the most effective” approach.

“We will continue to fight the Al-Qaeda, the Talibanisation and other terrorist and extremist elements with resolve and determination. In dealing with this serious challenge, we expect understanding and support from our friends in the international community instead of pronouncements and impositions that doubt our efforts and will be resented by our people,” it said.

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