US lawmakers want Pak designated as state sponsor of terror

The United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs will deliberate on a bill that seeks to designate Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism. The bill “Stopping Pakistani Terror Act” that was introduced in the Congress by US Congressman Scott Perry on 8 March, seeks “designation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, and for other purposes.”

The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives after which it has been referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. As per the bill, “Effective on the date that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this

Act, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan shall be deemed to be a country the government of which the [US] Secretary of State determines has repeatedly provided support for international terrorism.”

If the bill is passed by the House, the Senate and signed by the President, Pakistan will face multiple sanctions that include restrictions on US foreign assistance, a ban on defence exports and sales, financial transactions and others under multiple Acts, including Export Control Reform Act of 2018, Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and Arms Export Control Act.

The bill has been introduced by Republican Congressman from Pennsylvania, Scott Gordon Perry who joined politics after serving in the armed forces for 39 years, going on to become Brigadier General during which he commanded a battalion in Iraq.

On 9 March, Perry and two other members of Congress wrote to US Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the Islamist ties of the newly appointed ambassador from Pakistan, Masood Khan who, in 2020, had called on the US to release a terrorist convicted of trying to kill American soldiers.

In their letter, Congressmen Perry, Mary Miller and Gregory Steube have asked Garland to investigate Masood Khan’s relationships with a number of terrorist groups in Pakistan which the lawmakers fear represent a