US Senate to block military aid to Pakistan

The US Senate has moved to block $300 million military aid to Pakistan unless defence secretary Ashton Carter certifies that the country is taking demonstrable steps against the dreaded Haqqani Network.

This forms part of the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA)-2017 passed by the Senate 85-13 votes on Wednesday.

Notably Mr Carter is yet to give the necessary certification to Pakistan for a similar legislation passed by the Congress in 2015 under NDAA-2016.

As a result, the Pentagon has not been able to release $300 million of coalition support fund to Pakistan for the fiscal year 2015-2016 ending September 30 this year.

However, the Senate version of the NDAA differs with that of the House of Representatives, which calls for blocking $450 million of the $900 million US aid to Pakistan in coalition support fund.

The Senate version has reduced both the figures respectively to $300 million and $800 million.

Ahead of the Senate voting on NDAA-2017, the White House had opposed any such move.

In New Delhi, foreign policy observers said the US Congress had actually sought to tighten conditions for the coalition support fund to Pakistan. They pointed out that in the House (of Representatives) version of the 2017 of the US National Defence Authorisation Act, the overall fund authorisation to Pakistan has been kept at the same level as in 2016 ($900 million), the quantum of non-waivable funds (which can only be provided on the basis of certification by the US administration) has actually been increased from $350 million in 2016 to $450 million in 2017.

This sum is contingent upon a certification by the US administration that Pakistan has taken action to significantly disrupt the safe havens and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network.