May 9, 2003	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 6, 1424

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WASHINGTON, May 8: Pakistan has successfully evaded a Congressional amendment that could have hampered a smooth flow of US financial assistance and could also have hurt its relations with the United States.

Congressman Gary L. Ackerman, a Democratic from New York, withdrew his proposed amendment on Wednesday after he was persuaded that it did not serve the US interest of fighting terrorism and promoting peace between India and Pakistan.

Mr Ackerman had proposed attaching some “over-riders” to an annual presidential waiver, which allows Islamabad to receive US assistance despite restrictions.

Some of these restrictions were imposed after the May 1998 nuclear tests by India and Pakistan, and others were brought after the October 1999 military coup.

Congressman Ackerman had suggested that Pakistan should also be asked to stop “cross-border terrorism” in Kashmir and give up weapons of mass destruction in return for US assistance.

The Congressman is an active member of the Indian lobby in the US House of Representatives and holds strong anti-Pakistan views.

The Bush administration, however, supported Pakistan on this issue and helped convince Mr Ackerman to withdraw the proposed amendment.

Diplomatic sources in Washington say that Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage played a key role in convincing Mr Ackerman and other members of the House International Relations Committee not to attach Pakistan-specific conditions on the presidential waiver.

Mr Armitage is now visiting South Asia to push for the resumption of bilateral talks between India and Pakistan.

On Wednesday, Mr Ackerman informed committee’s chairman Congressman Henry J. Hyde that he no longer wanted to push for the amendment.

However, Congressman Eni F. H. Faleomavaega from the American Samoa pushed another amendment suggesting that the president be asked to submit a report on “cross-border terrorism” in Kashmir and Pakistan’s weapons of mass destruction with the Congress.

His proposal was adopted.

The diplomatic sources, however, told Dawn the amendment would not affect the US assistance to Pakistan as it did not propose any restriction and it was not time-specific.

Congressman Hyde, who heads the International Relations Committee, also played a key role in saving Pakistan from further restrictions, the sources said.

On Sept 22, 2001, President George W. Bush issued the first waiver for the sanctions imposed after the nuclear tests, saying that the prohibitions were not in the national security interests of the United States.

The United States has relaxed other sanctions on Pakistan as well since Islamabad decided to join the US-led war against terrorism after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

In March this year, President Bush signed another waiver, relaxing the prohibitions imposed on Pakistan after the October 1999 military takeover.

This waiver allowed the release of $305 million assistance allocated by the US Congress in the fiscal 2003 budget. It also allowed Pakistan to purchase some spare parts and other military ware.

Sanctions under the Arms Export Control Act forbid economic and military assistance, credits or guarantees, and military education and training.

Section 620 E (e) of the Foreign Assistance Act is Pakistan-specific and prohibits sale or transfer of military equipment.