In a renewed bid to hold Pakistan’s feet to the fire on the issue of terrorism, US lawmakers have tied disbursement of all military aid and coalition support fund to Islamabad’s cooperation on counter-terrorism against all militant outfits, including the India-centric lashkar-e-Tayyeba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Under the conditions inserted in a new military spending bill, due to be voted by Congress, the disbursement of military aid and coalition support fund will be subject to certifications by the Secretary of State and the Defence Secretary.
The conditions listed include steps by Pakistan “to end support for such (terrorist) groups and prevent them from basing and operating in Pakistan and carrying out cross-border attacks into neighbouring countries”.
Besides leT and JeM, the groups listed in the Bill include Al Qaeda, the Haqqani Network and the Quetta Shura Taliban.
The Bill also lays down that the certification should cover steps by Pakistan to prevent the proliferation of nuclear-related material and expertise.
Meanwhile, senior Republican Congressman Ed Royce has expressed the view that Pakistan continues to be a terrorist haven, with terror groups, backed by Islamabad’s security agencies, out to destabilize Afghanistan and threaten India.
While Pakistan was to be a key ally of the US in combating Islamist militancy after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it has “hardly reciprocated” despite having been a large recipient of American aid for the last 15 years, Royce noted in his remarks at a hearing on “The Future of US-Pakistan Relations”. “Pakistani governments have come and gone, but Pakistan has remained a terrorist haven, with its security services supporting what it considers to be “good” Islamist terrorist groups,” Royce said, adding: “These ‘good’ groups - under Pakistan’s calculus - destabilise Afghanistan and threaten neighbouring India.”