US unlikely to revise 'iron-clad conditionalities' contained in Kerry Lugar BillOctober 9th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The United States has made it clear that it would not revise conditionalities attached with the Kerry Lugar Bill, which has been receiving criticism from various quarters in Pakistan for its stern terms and conditions. US Ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Patterson, met President Asif Ali Zardari here to discuss the current political scenario in the country.
US considering Pak's reservations on Kerry Lugar Bill: BidenOctober 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Worried by the wide scale criticism of the Kerry Lugar Bill in Pakistan, US Vice President Joe Biden has said that Washington is considering Islamabad's reservations on the aid Bill. Biden met Pakistani ambassador-at-large Raffat Mahmood in Washington and told him that the Obama Administration is aware of Pakistan's concerns and is examining them, The News reports.
No rift between govt, Army over Kerry Lugar Bill : KairaOctober 8th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has rejected reports regarding a rift between the government and the Army over the Kerry Lugar Bill issue. Responding to queries about altercations between the government and the Pakistan Army over the 'severe' terms and conditions attached with the US aid bill, Kaira said: "There is no clash between the government and Army."
Kaira said Pakistan was not bound to accept the terms and conditions in the bill, as it has not inked any deal with the US in this regard.
Pak Govt behind bid to cripple Army and ISI through Kerry-Lugar bill conditions?October 8th, 2009 KARACHI - The Pakistan Army's top brass, while objecting to the terms and conditions attached with the Kerry Lugar Bill, has also raised apprehensions regarding the presence of some persons within the Gilani government who are trying to weaken the nation's Armed Forces and the premier intelligence agency, the Inter State Intelligence (ISI), The News reports. According to sources, the Army has substantial evidence regarding the presence of some 'elements' in the government who lobbied heavily for the inclusion of anti-military and anti-nuclear programme clauses in the controversial Kerry Lugar Bill.
Kerry Lugar Bill contains only 'accountability measures' for aid use: John KerryOctober 8th, 2009 Washington, Oct.8: US Senator John Kerry, the main sponsor of the controversial Kerry Lugar Bill, has said that there are no conditions in respect to the civilian and economic assistance attached to the Bill, rather it contains accountability measures to ensure that the amount is spent in exactly in the way it is being provided for. "There are measures of financial accountability in place to ensure the money is spent in a way that the American people want it to be spent," Kerry said.
Kerry Lugar Bill 'big success' for Pak Government: GilaniOctober 7th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Defending the Kerry Lugar Bill, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has termed the controversial aid package as a 'big success' of his government. Addressing a meeting of government coalition partners, Gilani said the United States has assured all help to Pakistan.
Pak Army's top brass not amused with 'stern conditions' in Kerry Lugar BillOctober 7th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The controversial Kerry-Lugar Bill, which offers Pakistan 1.5 billion dollars yearly over the next five years, is likely to come up for discussion during the meeting of Corps Commanders at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi today. Highly placed sources said the US aid Bill is unlikely to garner support during the meeting of Pakistan Army's top brass, which may ultimately sour the relationship between the armed forces and the government, which has been describing the assistance as its 'big success'.
Kerry Lugar Bill would not harm Pak's sovereignty: John KerryOctober 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US Senator John Kerry, the main sponsor of the controversial Kerry Lugar Bill, has said Washington has no intention to harm Pakistan's sovereignty through the Bill. Addressing a press conference after meeting Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi here, Kerry said the Obama Administration wants to work for the better of the Pakistanis and stressed that the aid Bill is a clear sign of US' direct relations with the people of Pakistan.
Pak senators say Kerry-Lugar Bill targets nuke arsenalOctober 3rd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's senators have slammed the Kerry-Lugar Bill saying that it targets the country's nuclear weapons. Opposition senators, including Raja Zafar ul Haq, Waseem Sajjad, Ishaq Dar, urged the government to reject it as it was against the independence and sovereignty of Pakistan.
Haqqani says Kerry-Lugar Bill doesn't have nuclear restrictionOctober 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Pakistan's envoy to the US, Hussain Haqqani, has said the Kerry-Lugar Bill has no provision to restrict Islamabad's nuclear programme. However, he added, that the bill prevents Pakistan from being part of any outward proliferation.
Kerry Lugar Bill attracts wide scale criticism in PakistanOctober 1st, 2009 KARACHI - 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'.
Kerry Lugar bill worth 'peanuts': PML-NSeptember 29th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has criticized the PPP government for keeping the people of the country in the dark over the terms and conditions attached with the Kerry Lugar aid bill, and has termed the 1.5 billion dollar annual US assistance as 'peanuts'. Interacting with media persons here, PML-N spokesman Ahsan Iqbal said the government should take parliament into confidence before accepting the conditions stated in the bill.
Kerry-Lugar bill 'conditionalities' prerogative of 'sole super power' US: HaqqaniSeptember 29th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Amid the growing discontent over the conditions attached with the Kerry-Lugar aid bill in the country, Pakistan's Ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani has said that the US' policies could not be altered. "The US was the sole super power of the contemporary world and it was not possible for any country to influence its polices.
PML-Q says Kerry-Lugar Bill insults PakistanSeptember 28th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid has termed the Kerry-Lugar economic aid bill as an "insult to Pakistan", demanding an explanation from the government on how it has accepted the language of the bill that weakens Pakistan's position on the international front. The Daily Times quoted PML-Q legislator Marvi Memon, as saying that "asking Pakistan to cease support - including by any elements within the military or intelligence agencies - to extremist and terrorist groups" in the text of the Kerry-Lugar bill was insulting and sent a wrong message to the world.
US says Kerry-Lugar Bill will be approved by SeptemberAugust 29th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Kerry-Lugar Bill would be approved by the American Senate by September, the coordinator of the non-military aid to Islamabad has said. The Dawn quoted Rabin Raphael, as saying that his appointment for managing the affairs in Pakistan pertained to oversee a coordinated disbursement of aid supplied to Pakistan under USAID and Kerry-Lugar schemes.