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  • Nov 22nd, 2004
  • Comments Off on Congress approves $300 million military aid to Pakistan
The US Congress on Saturday adopted a bill for $300 million in military assistance for Pakistan. The proposal was adopted along with the 566 billion dollar US budget that contains military aid programmes for Pakistan and Afghanistan. The budget also contains 400 million dollars for training and equipping the new Afghan national army, a 350-million-dollar increase of the past year.

The US Senate voted 65-30 for the so-called 'omnibus spending bill' that combines nine of the traditional 13 appropriations measures. The House of Representatives passed it 344-51.

Rep. Bill Young, Chairman House Appropriations Committee, pleaded for adoption of the aid proposal, which was subsequently overwhelmingly carried by the House.

This is part of the first instalment of the $701 million out of the historic $3 billion economic and military assistance package announced in Camp David on June 24, 2003.

The $300 million military assistance is designed to bolster capabi1ities of the Armed Forces of Pakistan.

The Pentagon had recently notified to Congress that it p1anned to provide a 1.3 billion dollar arms package for Pakistan in the future, including eight P-3C Orion planes to beef up surveillance of its coasts and borders to stop the movement of terrorists and drug smugglers.

In a statement issued by the White House, President George Bush has welcomed the move.

The adoption of the proposal for military assistance to Pakistan is reflective of the cordiality of Pak-US relations and is seen as an acknowledgement of Pakistan's significant role in the ongoing war on terrorism, as a close US ally.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2004


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