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“This bill is a permanent document of slavery,” Baloch said. |
ISLAMABAD – Despite Washington’s efforts to coax critics in its major ally in the war on terror, opposition is growing inside Pakistan to a giant US aid package to the Muslim country.
“This bill is a permanent document of slavery,” Liaquat Baloch, Secretary-General of Jammat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamic party, told IslamOnline.net.
“We must reject it outrightly. These explanations are just aimed at diverting the public opinion against this so-called war on terror.”
The Congress approved earlier this month the Kerry Luger bill, which triples annual aid to Pakistan for the next four years in recognition of its role in the war on terror.
But the bill sparked strong opposition inside Pakistan over a clause granting the US direct access to nuclear scientists who, according to US, are or will be involved in nuclear proliferation.
The powerful military establishment has also joined the opposition chorus protesting a clause authorizing the US to monitor and ensure that the army doesn’t interfere in civilian and judicial affairs.
Coaxing critics, US Senator John Kerry and Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi rushed last week to seek to ease opposition to the bill.
“There is no intent to, and nothing in this act in any way suggests that there should be any US role in micromanaging internal Pakistani affairs, including the promotions of Pakistani military officials, or the internal operations of the Pakistan military,” said an explanatory note jointly read out by Kerry and Qureshi.
But the assurance failed to draw support to the bill.
“There is no legal standing of this explanatory note because it has not been passed by the Congress and the Senate,” said Baloch.
“It’s just an explanation given by the US government, which has no legal binding.
Baloch termed the note as an empty promise from Washington.
“You can take it as a verbal promise, but it cannot be alternative of legislation,” he said.
“Keeping the track record of America in view, we cannot trust on its mere promises.”
No Free Lunch
Pakistani lawmakers say the aid package is a cover to drag Pakistan deeper into Washington’s war on terror.
“Explanatory note is not an issue. The issue is that why America is providing this aid to Pakistan?” asked Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, Secretary-General of Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI), an ally of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
“It’s not a free lunch. it (US) is giving us money so that we fight for it.
“This is a high time to say no to America, because this so-called war on terror has destroyed us. We have already paid a huge price for this war. We should not continue that for merely 1.5 billion dollars.”
Islamabad has been a major ally to the US in its so-called war on terror, launched following the 9/11 attacks.
Since then, Pakistan has sunk into deadly violence, which killed hundreds of innocent people.
“We reject the Kerry Lugar bill in its current form,” Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader and two-time premier Nawaz Sharif has told a press conference.
“Some of its conditions are against our national interest. We cannot accept these conditions at any cost.
Sharif said the aid bill serves the US interests.
“But this is not at all in Pakistan’s interest. The people of Pakistan consider some of its conditions against the national interest,” he said.
The opposition leader urged the government to set up a national forum to delineate a national strategy on this issue.
“Neither the parliament nor the nation was taken into confidence on this bill. Therefore, a broad based consensus (on that) is need of the moment.
“Foreign aid can never bring self-reliance to the nation. Therefore the government instead of lifting the begging bowl, should adopt the path sacrifice.”
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