U.S. bill to declare Pak `state sponsor of terrorism` |
An influential U.S. lawmaker has sought a “radical reset” of ties with Islamabad and introduced a bill in the Congress that pushes the American government to declare Pakistan a “state sponsor of terrorism”, or give a detailed justification for not doing so in a limited time. Congressman Ted Poe, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, introduced the Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Act (HR 1449) in the US House of Representatives . Introducing the bill, Mr. Poe said: “Not only is Pakistan an untrustworthy ally, Islamabad has also aided and abetted enemies of the United States for years.” The bill requires U.S. President Donald Trump to issue a report within 90 days, detailing whether Pakistan has provided support for international terrorism.Thirty days after that, the Secretary of State is required to a submit a follow-up report containing either a determination that Pakistan is a “state sponsor of terrorism,” or a detailed justification why it does not meet the legal criteria for such a designation.Separately in a joint piece in The National Interest magazine with James Clad, who was U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defence for Asia in the George W. Bush administration, Mr. Poe called for a “radical reset” of ties with Pakistan.
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