Kerry Lugar Bill attracts wide scale criticism in Pakistan

Karachi, Oct.1 (ANI): The Kerry-Lugar aid Bill, which promises 1.5 billion dollars of annual assistance to Pakistan over the next five years, has been receiving flak from different quarters in the country.

Pakistani political parties have criticized the United States for adding severe conditions on the aid bill terming them 'humiliating'.

The Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan has announced a countrywide protest against the bill on Friday.

The party lashed out at Pakistan's Ambassador to US, Hussain Haqqani, saying he should stop playing the role of a US mouthpiece.

"Enough is enough. How long will Haqqani play the role of the US' mouthpiece," JI spokesman said.

"The conditions mentioned in the Kerry-Lugar bill are in fact against the national independence and sovereignty," he said.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has also criticized the Gilani government for accepting the terms and conditions mentioned in the Kerry-Lugar bill.

PML-Q Steering Committee chairman Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri asked the government to make efforts to get the language of the Kerry Lugar Bill changed as it could invoke negative response in the country.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) has passed a resolution against the Kerry-Lugar Bill, saying it violates the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan

"Pakistan would have to provide details of its nuclear assets to America in addition to providing it access to all persons linked with this programme under the bill," The Daily Times quoted Barrister Zafarullah, who moved the resolution, as saying.

He said the United States, through the bill, wants to fulfill its longstanding desire of quizzing Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, who is considered as the father of Pakistan's nuclear programme. (ANI)