ISLAMABAD, April 30: The US Congress has been formally informed about President George W. Bush's decision to grant Pakistan the Major Non-Nato Ally (MNNA) status, diplomatic sources told Dawn on Friday.

"After completion of the inter-departmental consultations, the US State Department formally conveyed the presidential decision to the Congress last week," an informed source confirmed. With formal communication to the Congress last week the countdown for the expiry of the 30-day mandatory waiting period has begun.

Under the US law the MNNA status becomes automatically effective 30 days after the Congress is informed. Sources said a formal announcement of the presidential notification was expected by the end of May.

It is learnt Islamabad has assurance from Washington that attempts by the anti-Pakistan lobbies to prevent designation of this status to Pakistan will be aborted. Diplomatic observers say there is no precedent of such a decision ever being challenged. The current US law gives the president the authority to confer the MNNA status on any country by simply notifying the Congress.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell made the announcement about Bush administration's decision to designate Pakistan as the MNNA during his visit to Islamabad on March 18.

The MNNA status increases military-to-military cooperation and eases access to military armaments and defence articles. Also, it speeds up the procurement process. While President Bush has pledged to address Pakistan's "legitimate defence needs" it is not clear yet how far the US government would be willing to go after formally designating Pakistan as a MNNA.

Pakistan, however, has decided to test the limits once it formally assumes the exclusive MNNA status. According to informed sources the Pakistani military establishment is currently updating its shopping list for the US government.

Major non-NATO allies are eligible for: priority delivery of excess defence articles (EDA); stockpiling of US defence articles; purchase of depleted uranium anti-tank rounds; participation in cooperative research and development programmes; and participation in the Defence Export Loan Guarantee (DELG) programme, which backs up private loans for commercial defence exports.