U.S. House of Representatives passes amendment to cut aid to Pakistan by $650 million; MQM chief warns of security threats to Pakistan if U.S. State Department classifies Haqqani Network as FTO; Pakistani Supreme Court constitutes bench to hear challenges to new contempt bill; President Asif Ali Zardrari says parliament has every right to pass contempt bill; PPP candidate Abdul Qadir Gilani wins National Assembly seat vacated by his father; Pakistani, Afghan, and British leaders agree to resume commission for facilitating peace talks with Taliban; Pakistan abstains on vote over UN Security Council resolution that would sanction Assad regime in Syria; TTP militants kill 6 anti-Taliban militia members in  Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; Security increased in Karachi ahead of Ramadan.

U.S.-Pakistan Relations

  • On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment to the $608 billion defense appropriations bill that cuts aid to Pakistan by $650 million. Representative Ted Poe, the sponsor of the amendment, said he proposed the measure in response to Pakistan’s lack of cooperation in the fight against terrorism. The amendment initially proposed cutting aid to Pakistan by $1.3 billion, but Rep. Poe later agreed to cut the proposed amount in half. If the amendment is passed by both the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate, the measure would affect Pakistan’s aid package for fiscal year 2013, which begins on October 1, 2012. On Thursday, Patrick Ventrall, a State Department spokesperson, said that the U.S. remains committed to cooperating with Pakistan on counterterrorism operations, though he had no comment on the House amendment.[1]

  • Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain, on Thursday, warned that the U.S Congress’s recent decision to urge the U.S. State Department to classify the Pakistan-based Haqqani Network as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) could have negative effects upon the security, sovereignty, and integrity of Pakistan. Speaking at the international secretariat of the MQM in London, the MQM chief cautioned that if any leader of the Haqqani Network was implicated in terrorist activity outside of Pakistan, the U.S. would declare Pakistan a “terrorist country.” Hussain demanded that the MQM urge the Pakistani government to take action against the militant group to avoid such deterioration in security.[2] 

Domestic Politics

International Relations

  • Following day-long talks in Kabul on Thursday, Pakistani, Afghan, and British leaders agreed to resume meetings of the “two-tier” joint commission to facilitate peace talks with the Taliban. The commission was suspended last year following the assassination of former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani. As part of the trilateral meeting, Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf pledged to help arrange meetings between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Rabbani’s son, head of the Afghan High Peace Council, is scheduled to visit Islamabad soon to craft a joint strategy for advancing peace talks with the Taliban.[8]

  • Iranian and Pakistani officials successfully negotiated a barter trade agreement in which Iran will import wheat and rice from Pakistan in exchange for iron ore exports to Pakistan. Negotiations between the two countries had stalled until a recent visit by a Pakistani delegation to Tehran and a letter by President Asif Ali Zardari broke the deadlock.[9]       

  • On Thursday, Pakistan abstained on a vote of a UN.Security Council resolution that would have subjected Syria’s ruling regime to sanctions if the Syrian government did not withdraw its troops and heavy weapons from populated areas in the country within ten days. The resolution – drafted by the United Kingdom and co-sponsored by the U.S., France and Germany – did not pass due to vetoes from Russia and China.[10]

Militancy


[1] Jeremy Herb, “House votes to cut $650 million in Pakistan aid,” The Hill, July 20, 2012. Available at http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/budget-appropriations/238937-house-votes-to-cut-650m-in-pakistan-aid
“US lawmakers approve cut in Pakistan aid: Report,” Express Tribune, July 19, 2012. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/410546/us-lawmakers-approve-cut-in-pakistan-aid-report/
“Counterterrorism support for Pakistan continues: Ventrell,” AFP, July 19, 2012. Available at http://dawn.com/2012/07/20/counterterrorism-support-for-pakistan-continues-ventrell/
[2] “Atlaf warns of rogue state status from Pakistan,” Express Tribune, July 20, 2012. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/410817/altaf-warns-of-rogue-state-status-for-pakistan/
[3] “SC constitutes five-member bench to hear petitions against contempt law,” Dawn, July 20, 2012. Available at http://dawn.com/2012/07/20/sc-constitutes-five-member-bench-to-hear-petitions-against-contempt-law/
“Contempt notice is being reviewed: Dr Fehmida, “Contempt notice is being reviewed: Dr Fehmida,” Geo Pakistan, July 20, 2012. Available at http://www.geo.tv/GeoDetail.aspx?ID=59693
[4] Hafeez Tunio, “Breaking silence: Parliament supreme, can enact any law, says Zardari,” Express Tribune, July 20, 2012. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/410821/breaking-silence-parliament-supreme-can-enact-any-law-zardari/
“Contempt cases cannot increase judiciary’s respect: AGP,” Daily Times, July 20, 2012. Available at http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\07\20\story_20-7-2012_pg7_15
[5] “Pm Ashraf promises to conduct elections in time,” Dawn, July 20, 2012. Available at http://dawn.com/2012/07/20/pm-ashraf-promises-to-conduct-elections-in-time/
[6] Muhammad Sadaqat, “K-P govt sizes up OBL compound for possession,” Express Tribune, July 20, 2012. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/410819/k-p-govt-sizes-up-obl-compound-for-possession/
[7] Owais Jafri, “NA-151 by-elections: Gilani’s son emerges as victor after close battle,” Express Tribune, July 20, 2012. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/410823/na-151-by-elections-gilanis-son-emerges-as-victor-after-close-battle/
[8] Kamran Yousaf, “Stalled reconciliation process: Kabul, Islamabad to resume peace talks.” Express Tribune, July 20, 2012. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/410826/stalled-reconciliation-process-kabul-islamabad-to-resume-peace-talks/
[9] Zafar Bhutta, “President intervenes: Pakistan, Iran break deadlock over barter trade,” Express Tribune, July 20, 2012. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/410749/president-intervenes-pakistan-iran-break-deadlock-over-barter-trade/
[10] Joe Lauria, “Russia, China Veto Syria Resolution at U.N.,” Wall Street Journal, July 19, 2012. Available at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444097904577536793560681930.html
[11] “Six killed as two militant groups clash in Darra,” The News, July 20, 2012. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-121684-Six-killed-as-two-militant-groups-clash-in-Darra
[12] “Bomb attack injures six in Peshawar,” Dawn, July 19, 2012. Available at http://dawn.com/2012/07/19/bomb-attack-injures-six-in-peshawar/
[13] “Two militants killed, kidnapped cops recovered,” The News, July 20, 2012. Available at http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-121688-Two-militants-killed,-kidnapped-cops-recovered
[14] Danish Rafique, “JUI-F leader among 11 gunned down in Karachi,” Daily Times, July 20, 2012. Available at http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\07\20\story_20-7-2012_pg7_5
“8 more die in Karachi, as President’s presence fails to stop killings.” Geo News, July 19, 2012. Available at http://www.geo.tv/GeoDetail.aspx?ID=59616
“Two CID officials, informer injured in encounter,” Daily Times, July 20, 2012. Available at http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\07\20\story_20-7-2012_pg7_13
“Police defuse 13kg bomb near school in Karachi,” Express Tribune, July 20, 2012. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/410925/police-defuse-13kg-bomb-near-school-in-karachi/
“Security in Karachi beefed up for Ramazan,” Express Tribune, July 20, 2012. Available at http://tribune.com.pk/story/410943/security-in-karachi-beefed-up-for-ramazan/
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