Pak on notice: US Senate links aid to action on Lashkar

BOOST FOR INDIA Pak could lose $350 million in defence funding if House of Representatives passes similar legislation

WASHINGTON: The US Senate passed legislation on Monday that for the first time proposes to link defence aid to Pakistan with action taken by it against the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the banned terror group founded by Hafiz Saeed.

An amount of $350 million, which is half of the $700 million set aside under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) for compensating Pakistan for its cooperation in operations in Afghanistan, will be tied to Islamabad’s actions against the group behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

This will be in addition to action required against the Haqqani Network, which has been part of the precondition for three years. The LeT has primarily targeted India but it has also been increasingly blamed for attacks on US forces in Afghanistan.

The development coincided with India increasing pressure on Pakistan over its support for terrorism and the clandestine proliferation of nuclear technology to North Korea.

During a meeting with US secretary of state Rex Tillerson and Japanese foreign minister Taro Kono in New York, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj sought an investigation into North Korea’s nuclear proliferation linkages and action against those responsible — a veiled reference to Pakistan. Swaraj deplored North Korea’s nuclear tests and said “its proliferation linkages must be explored and those involved must be held accountable”, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

Responding to Pakistan’s statement at the session, Indian diplomat Vishnu Reddy said: “Even the Pakistan foreign minister admitted that internationally banned outfits including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed are operating from within Pakistan.”

THE DEVELOPMENT COINCIDES WITH INDIA INCREASING PRESSURE ON PAKISTAN OVER ITS CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM