U.S. President Donald Trump will be more sympathetic to the demand on whether or not to declare Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, U.S. Congressman Ted Poe said on Monday.
Mr. Poe has introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives seeking a review of U.S. ties with Pakistan, given its support for terrorism. “I cannot speak for the White House, but I do think the President Trump will be sympathetic to this demand,” he said.
“Not only is Pakistan an untrustworthy ally, Islamabad has also aided and abetted enemies of the U.S. for years. From harbouring Osama bin Laden to its cosy relationship with the Haqqani network, there is more than enough evidence to determine whose side Pakistan is on in the war on terror. And it’s not America’s. It is time we stop paying Pakistan for its betrayal and designate it for what it is: a State Sponsor of Terrorism,” Mr. Poe told reporters on a conference call.
Terror funding
“Pakistan is taking money from the U.S. and at least part of that money is going to terrorists who seek to attack America,” the Congressman said.
Mr. Poe had co-sponsored a similar bill in September 2016, which lapsed. The Congressman from Texas said if Pakistan does not support terrorist groups as it claims, it should support the ‘Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Act of 2017,’ since the review would give Pakistan an opportunity to come clean. If it is not supporting terrorism, this will be its opportunity to prove it, he said.
“The bill does not designate Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism. It requires the President and the administration to make a determination one way or the other, based on a review of evidence. Pakistan should welcome such a review,” he said.
“Pakistan claims to be a victim of terrorism as terrorists carry out attacks in Pakistan too. This is the consequence of government harbouring terrorists,” Mr. Poe said.
According to a U.S. State Department document, there are four main categories of sanctions that will follow a state sponsor of terrorism designation — “restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance; a ban on defence exports and sales; certain controls over exports of dual use items; and miscellaneous financial and other restrictions.”
Due to various certification requirements that have been mandated for Pakistan in recent years, U.S. civil and military aid to Pakistan has seen a sharp decline in recent years — from $3.5 billion in 2011 to less than $1 billion in 2016.
