Kerry Lugar Bill debate in Pak parliament will end reservations: USOctober 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States has said it welcomes a debate on the controversial Kerry Lugar Bill in the Pakistan Parliament, saying it would help assuage the feelings of reservation and concern over how the US aid is to be disbursed and in what circumstances. Interacting with media persons during a regular briefing, US State Department spokesperson Philip Crowley said the debate over the bill is an important and positive step.
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.
Kerry Lugar Bill 'conditions' were drafted with Pak Army's acquiescence: BermanOctober 10th, 2009 WASHINGTON - While the Pakistan Army has been raising questions over some of the conditionalities attached with the Kerry-Lugar Bill, saying it is against nation's sovereignty and integrity, a top US Diplomat has said that the outline of the bill was in fact prepared in consultation with Pakistan's Armed Forces. Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Howard Berman said the Pakistani military was familiar with provisions made in the bill while it was tabled in the US House and Senate.
US envoy thinks some clauses in Kerry-Lugar Bill 'a big mistake'October 9th, 2009 LAHORE - US Ambassador to Pakistan, Anne W Patterson, has said many clauses in the Kerry-Lugar Bill with regard to the Pakistan Army "are a big mistake". The Daily Times quoted Patterson as saying that the Obama administration had gone the extra mile to ensure that the bill didn't harm Pakistan's sovereignty.
Disparity between Pak govt, army may weaken US-led war on terrorOctober 9th, 2009 LAHORE - As the Obama administration plans to seek a greater cooperation from the Pakistan Army for destroying Al Qaeda's safe havens in FATA, the difference between the Pakistani military and the Asif Ali Zardari government over the Kerry-Lugar Bill clauses has surfaced. Recently, US officials had said that Washington was weighing a new role for Pakistan in the eight-year-old struggle in the region.
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.
Pak Presidency rejects Army's concerns over Kerry Lugar BillOctober 9th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - It what may give rise to a serious altercation between the Army and the government, the Pakistan Presidency has dismissed the objections raised by the Armed Forces over the Kerry Lugar Bill. Asif Ali Zardari's spokesperson, Farhatullah Babar, said there are established channels for the Pakistan Army to express its views.
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 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 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.
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.
Kaira admits that strings are attached with the Kerry-Lugar BillOctober 6th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has admitted that the American security aid promised under the Kerry-Lugar Bill has "some strings," but they are in line with government policies. The Daily Times quoted him, as saying that the checks on the assistance promised for the armed forces were in line with the government's policies, as the government wanted a strong check on nuclear-proliferation and did not want Pakistani territory to be used to stage terrorist activities in foreign countries.
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.
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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