US rules out changes in Kerry Lugar Bill, offers explanatory memo in lieu within 24 hrsOctober 14th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The United States has made it clear that it would not remove any clauses in the controversial Kerry Lugar bill, rather an explanatory memo addressing Pakistan's reservations would be stapled in with the bill. Interacting with mediapersons after a meeting with Pakistan Foreign Minister, who had rushed back to Washington to convey Islamabad's objections, Chairman of the Senate Foreign relations Committee John Kerry said a separate document would be attached with the bill to clarify the elements of the 7.5 billion dollar bill.
US not influencing Pak institutions through Kerry-Lugar Bill: Senator InouyeOctober 13th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - US Senator Daniel Inouye has rebuffed Pakistani concerns over certain clauses in the Kerry-Lugar Bill, saying the US has no intention of influencing any institution in Pakistan, but only trying to help it. His statement came after Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari told him that were concerns being expressed in certain quarters about some of the provisions of the Kerry-Lugar Bill and that the USA and Pakistan need to work together to alleviate these concerns.
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.
Pak hopes Obama will make suitable amendments in Kerry Lugar BillOctober 9th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has reiterated that it is not bound to accept the 'stringed' Kerry Lugar Bill and is expecting that the US would make suitable amendments in the Bill in view of the large scale criticism it has received in the country. ddressing media persons during a regular press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Abdul Basit said the Kerry Lugar Bill was not a bilateral agreement, so it was not necessary for the Pakistan government to agree with all of its clauses.
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.
Kerry Lugar Bill a 'triumph for India': Shujaat HussainOctober 8th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has termed the controversial Kerry-Lugar Bill as a 'triumph for India'. Addressing party leaders here, Hussain said the bill cannot be accepted in its current form as it has several controversial points regarding the Army, Pakistan's nuclear programme and security agencies.
Pak not bound to accept 'strings' attached with Kerry Lugar Bill: GilaniOctober 8th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the government is not bound to accept the terms and conditions attached with the Kerry Lugar Bill and the final decision in this regard would be taken by Parliament. Addressing the National Assembly, Gilani said he has already taken President Asif Ali Zardari and the Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani into confidence over the issue.
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 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.
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.
PML-Q conveys its objections on the Kerry-Lugar Bill to PattersonOctober 6th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had conveyed his party's objection over certain clauses of the Kerry-Lugar Bill to the US Ambassador Anne Patterson. The Daily Times quoted a press statement issued by the party, as saying that the party objected to the insertion of a clause "regarding the alleged presence of terrorists in Muridke and Quetta," in the bill "on the behest of the Indian lobby" active in the US.
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 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.
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.
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October 14th, 2009 at 2:27 am
wELL TALK OF BEGGERS TRYING TO TELL THE DONORS THAT THEY ILL NOT ACCEPT DONATIONS. A NATION OF ERRORIST AN ACKNOWLEDGED PARIAH IN THE COMITY OF NATIONS HAS THE GUMPTION TO TELL THE WORLD FANCY STORIES AND THE AMERICANS ARE FOOLISH ENOUGH TO ACCEPT ONE LIE AFTER ANOTHER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
WILL THE FOOLS NEVER LEARN
October 15th, 2009 at 12:06 am
Pakistan political landscape once again taking a worse turn because of Kerry Lugar bill. Most of the people are being seen in Print and electronic media cursing Govt for accepting this aid without going through the facts. The reality is , Kerry-Lugar makes Pakistan the recipient of $1.5 billion a year in economic aid — putting Pakistan just slightly behind Egypt, and a bit behind Israel, in terms of government-to-government assistance. Add in the existing aid packages, which include programs for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and the Coalition Support Funds and Pakistan certainly passes Egypt, and may even surpass Israel to become the #1 recipient of U.S. aid. The package aims to build schools, roads and democratic institutions and improve the plight of women, all part of a US drive to thwart the appeal of Islamic extremists in a nation gripped by violence.This is hardly negligible — and a Pakistan which has verged on nightmarish uncertainty at least twice in the past two years (the political crisis of 2007, and the economic and political crisis of 2008) really cannot afford to turn this offer down. On the other hand United States also hit back at Pakistani critics of a giant aid package, rejecting charges it was violating the nuclear power’s sovereignty in the fight against Islamic extremism. There is nothing in this bill that impinges on Pakistani sovereignty — period, end of issue. And U.S have no intention of doing so.
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It is unfortunate our people are failing to understand impotence of this bill, Indians are outraged and trying their best for revoking this bill. If they succeed it would be great achievement for them and a great loss for Pakistan.
See the reaction of India,
The US-India Political Action Committee, which represents Indian-Americans, has worried that Pakistan could misuse US support for counter-insurgency efforts and called for better tabs on Pakistan’s nuclear program.
Oeindrila Dube, an expert on foreign aid at the Center for Global Development, said the package had a “disjuncture” by focusing on non-military support but seeking progress on military goals.
The bill also lacks clear benchmarks for how to quantify progress, she said.
“But I think, ultimately, it is a rather large chunk of change and the incentive of the Pakistani government will certainly be to accept the aid package,” she said.
We must understand the importance of this bill and realize the ground realities. If we fail, we will cut our own feet with axe.