Resolution to suspend US aid to Pakistan introduced in Congress

Washington, Nov 16 (UNI) The US House of Representatives has introduced a resolution calling on President George Bush to suspend all military assistance and all sales and transfers of military equipment to Pakistan in protest against its President Pervez Musharraf's imposition of emergency.

The resolution was introduced yesterday by Congressional panel on the Middle East and South Asia Chairman Gary Ackerman, a senior Democrat.

Mr Ackerman said the Bush Administration had, for too long, relied on one man to achieve the US anti-terrorism objectives in Pakistan. The President (Bush) has ignored democratic development there and turned a blind eye as General Musharraf has manipulated the political process to ensure his continued tenure in office.

Mr Ackerman said, Gen Musharraf had made and broken repeated promises to step down as Army chief and to restore democracy.

He made deals with al Qaeda supporters in North and South Waziristan and those deals strengthened our enemies, Mr Ackerman added.

He said officials in Musharraf's government leaked nuclear secrets to Libya, North Korea and Iran. Yet at every turn, General Musharraf received a pass from President Bush. Instead of arresting the terrorists who pose an existential threat to his regime, if not to the nation, General Musharraf is arresting the very people with whom he could have worked to develop the political support necessary to rid Pakistan of extremists.

Mr Ackerman's resolution also calls on General Musharraf to reinstate the constitution, release all those arrested during his crackdown, allow independent media to re-open, schedule parliamentary elections in January and step down as Army Chief.

UNI