US introduces bill to block military aid to Pakistan

WASHINGTON (92 News) – The United States has on Wednesday introduced a new bill to block $300 million aid to Pakistan. This aid, which is disbursed as reimbursement to US coalition partners in Afghanistan, will be cleared only against a certification to this effect by the secretary of defense, the panel proposed. Earlier, the US House of Representatives had on Friday tightens conditions on military aid for Pakistan as the US administration will have to certify that Pakistan has cracked down on Haqqani network. The US House of Representatives has passed the National Defense Authorization bill tightening the conditions on US $450 million military aid for Pakistan. The bill requires the US administration to certify that Pakistan is taking effective action against Haqqani network. On the other hand, the US had imposed condition on the sale of F-16s to Pakistan saying that the US will no longer subsidies the sale of eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. The decision means that Pakistan will have to pay more than $700m (£480m) - two-and-a-half times the original cost - if it wishes to buy the aircraft. Some US lawmakers had accused Pakistan of not doing enough to fight militants. India also objected to the sale. However, Pakistan had argued that the jets are needed for anti-terror operations, and so the US should help with funding the purchase.