USA may reimpose sanctions on Pak

WASHINGTON, Nov 17 (PTI, UNI) — Legislation that would reimpose economic and military sanctions against Pakistan has been introduced in the US House of Representatives even as 27 congressmen urged President Bill Clinton not to resume defence relationship with Islamabad.

Introducing the legislation yesterday, democratic congressman Steve Rothmans said, ‘‘No US aid and no US arms for regimes that topple democratic governments. No matter how well-intentioned, the actions of general (Pervez) Musharraf and his allies cannot be condoned by the USA.’’

‘‘There is no room for military coups in a democracy. Transfer of political power must only come from free elections. Congress should reimpose sanctions until democracy is restored in Pakistan,’’ he said.Stating that ‘‘military coups undermine democracy’’, he said ‘‘the best way that Pakistan’s new government can demonstrate its commitment to democracy is by immediately calling for and holding free elections.’’‘

‘My legislation ends a strong message to the military leaders in Pakistan, and to all those around the world, who would conspire to overthrow duly-elected governments,’’ he warned.

Meanwhile, 27 Congressmen from both political parties, headed by the two co-chairmen of the India caucus Gary Ackerman and Jamn Greenwood, have urged in a letter to President Clinton that ‘‘now is not the time for resuming any type of military relationship with Pakistan’’, stating that they are ‘‘deeply concerned’’ over the recent military coup in Pakistan, the Congressmen said ‘‘this military action, which involved the forcible removal from office of the democratically elected Prime Minister and his government, comes soon after Pakistani military forces, under the direction of Pakistani military leader General Pervez Musharraf, attempted a military intrusion beyond the Line of Control (LoC) in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

‘‘Obviously, this has caused heightened fears along the border between India and Pakistan and poses potentially serious problems for South Asia and the rest of the world,’’ they noted.The Congressmen also urged Mr Clinton not to appoint a special envoy or expand the observer mission in Kashmir as urged by Pakistan and some of the members of the Congress.Rothman’s legislation, ‘‘US support for a democratic Pakistan Act of 1999’’, would restore the economic and military sanctions that were imposed on Pakistan in 1998 following its testing of nuclear weapons. These sanctions were automatically triggered by the Export Arms Control Act but were waived in November 1998, when Congress gave President Clinton the ability to waive the sanctions.

The President did so in response to positive steps that Pakistan took in addressing the USA’s nuclear non-proliferation concerns.Meanwhile, in an unprecedented move, the US House of Representatives, by an almost unanimous resolution, has hailed India’s democratic electoral process and urged President Clinton to broaden the USA’s ‘‘special relationship with India into a strategic partnership’’.It congratulated Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on his re-election and the people of India on the successful conclusion of their recent national elections.The House called on the president ‘‘to travel to India as part of any trip to south Asia’’.

If Mr Clinton goes ahead with the proposed tour, he will be the first US President to visit the region in two decades. Mr Jimmy Carter was the last US President to undertake such a journey in January 1978.After a brief discussion on the floor of the House, the resolution was put to vote on the request of House International Relations Committee (HIRS) Chairman Benjamin Gilman (Republican) and it was passed with an overwhelming vote of 396 in favour and only four against.In the 434-member House, some 200 Republicans, 195 Democrats and an independent voted in its favour. Two Republicans and two Democrats voted against. As many as 34 members were not present.

The resolution was sponsored by Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans co-chairman Gary Ackerman, Panking Member of House International Relations Committee Samuel Gejdenson and ranking member of Asia Pacific Sub-Committee Tom Lantos (all Democrats).

Earlier, a number of congressmen spoke in favour of the resolution and applauded India’s successful experiment with democracy over the last five decades. Mr Ackerman, who was away on tour in India, in a statement issued here last night, said the US Congress, through this measure, recognised the fact that ‘‘the people of India have a deep and abiding commitment to democracy and the House salutes them for the passion with which they choose their own destiny.’’

‘‘No other country reflects our own values more in the part of the world than does India. It is high time we seriously begin recognising this fact and graduate from mere platitudes to some tangible policy changes towards India’’, he remarked.The India Caucus co-Chairman also made out a strong case for ‘’re-examining’’ US policy in South Asia.‘‘We should abandon old paradigms and cold war hang-ups and see that India, a democracy, is our natural ally in the region’’, the New York lawmaker said adding, ‘‘the best way to demonstrate our commitment to the people of India is by ensuring that the President travels to India as soon as possible’’.

HIRC Chairman Gilaman, in his speech, pleaded with President Clinton to use his authority to stop the US Opposition to the grant of World Bank loans for India’s infrastructure projects. The sanction, slapped on India after its may 1998 nuclear tests, had resulted in denial of loans worth $ 1.233 billion.Mr Gilman and several other lawmakers have written letters recently urging him to take steps to ensure disbursement of the pending loans to India.Mr Frank Pallon criticised the Republican leadership’s fault to bring a resolution condemning the recent coup in Pakistan to a vote in the House.