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Pak. has reined in LeT: U.S.

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    Reuters
    Hafiz Saeed, chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa. File photo
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    AP
    The certificate is a condition for the U.S. to disburse funds under the Kerry-Lugar Bill for civilian aid to Pakistan that was co-authored by Mr. Kerry in 2009.

Certification comes ahead of Obama’s India visit
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Pakistan this month, shortly after certifying the Pakistan government’s “action against” Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

The authorisation is likely to spark outrage in India. Mr. Kerry is due to visit the Vibrant Gujarat summit, which begins in Gandhinagar on January 11, ahead of President Barack Obama’s visit on January 24.

Mr. Kerry will lead the Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad later in January, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry announced this week.

Despite the fact that both the LeT and JeM have resurfaced visibly in the past year in Pakistan and the founders of both, Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, have held public rallies in Pakistan in 2014, the U.S. Secretary of State has signed off on a certification that the Pakistan government has “prevented al-Qaeda, the Taliban and associated terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad from operating in the territory of Pakistan” for the year.

Civilian aid

The certificate is a condition for the U.S. to disburse funds under the Kerry-Lugar Bill for civilian aid to Pakistan that was co-authored by Mr. Kerry in 2009. This year’s grant of $532 million to Pakistan will be disbursed shortly, as the Congress gave its nod to President Obama, the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson disclosed.

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According to official agency APP, Mr. Olson met Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to finalise the agenda for Mr. Kerry’s upcoming visit . Significantly, the Kerry-Lugar Bill lapsed in September 2014, but only about half of the $7.5 billion outlay has been disbursed so far.

According to Section 203 of the Bill, which is formally called the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act (S.1707), there are limitations on clearing the annual $1.5 billion assistance to Pakistan based on actions in the “preceding financial year.”

The authorisation required is that the Pakistan government and military have “ceased support” to extremist and terror groups, that they have “prevented” groups like the LeT and JeM from operating in Pakistan, and carrying out attacks against its neighbours, while dismantling their bases in Muridke, FATA and Quetta.
Pak. has reined in LeT: U.S. - The Hindu

Pat Pat. :)

US denies giving 'clean chit' to Pak, says no Kerry-Lugar fund disbursed since 2013 - Firstpost

No certification to Pakistan on curbing of terror: John Kerry - The Economic Times
 
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This is going to be hilarious:


Pakistan blew this one and cheaply.


Pakistan's finance minister Ishaq Dar was told of a civilian aid package of $532 million in a private conversation by US ambassador Richard Olson on December 29.

The Pakistani foreign ministry promptly put out a statement about it within hours of that conversation. And soon it was the leading headline in Pakistani media.

Americans were in holiday mood then — no one really works then, even those on duty — and did not see it, not in Islamabad, which was apparently short-staffed then, not in Washington DC.

For a week, Pakistan relished the aid, or the prospect of it. Until Monday, when America returned to work.

"Congress has not been notified of a request (for fresh assistance for Pakistan under the KLB act)," said state department spokesperson Jen Psaki on Monday.

She went on to dismiss any suggestion, in news reports that caused the clarification, that the aid was cleared because the US approved progress made by Pakistan on counter-terrorism.

The money was gone with the certification.

It seems, based on multiple off-the-record interviews with officials and congressional aides, the US may have been working on a civilian aid package for Pakistan. And Olson conveyed it to the Pakistanis in preparation for a coming visit by secretary of state John Kerry, which also went off the table on Monday.

President Barack Obama is traveling to India for the Republic Day parade — as the first American chief guest — and Pakistan has privately, and publicly, felt aggrieved.

Much was made in Pakistan, therefore, about a call from Obama to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to let him know shortly after India and the US announced his visit.

A tour by Kerry with a half-billion dollar aid package could have helped. And the US wanted to — the draw-down in Afghanistan is top on the list of its priorities for relations with Pakistan.

But the finance ministry misread the meeting with Olson.


The US has completely denied there is an aid package coming. In fact, sources said they were bewildered by the number — $532 million.

"Where has that come from?" asked an official.

This may be theatre to save a blundered situation. But multiple sources confirmed Monday that the administration is yet to propose a financial assistance package for Pakistan.

Under the KLB Act (Kerry-Lugar-Berman Act), passed in 2009 and amended later, any aid to Pakistan — civilian or non-civilian (military, security related) is conditional upon the administration certifying that Pakistan was "cooperating with the United States in counterterrorism efforts against the Haqqani Network, the Quetta Shura Taliban, Lashkar e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, al Qaeda, and other domestic and foreign terrorist organisations, including taking steps to end support for such groups and prevent them from basing and operating in Pakistan and carrying out cross border attacks into neighboring countries". And there are other conditions, such as prevention of nuclear proliferation.

But to give the administration flexibility the law allowed it to seek waiver of those conditions in national security interest, only for security-related aid in the original law, extended to cover all kinds of assistance in 2012.

Apart from a "blank certification" of Pakistan fulfilling all stipulated conditions in 2012, assistance under this act has been cleared mostly on the basis of waivers.

The US "employed the national interest waiver provided for in the legislation in part because the criterion … required to be met has not been met", said the state department spokesperson.

That may well be the course adopted for clearing the next tranche — Pakistan is supposed to get $1.5 billion every year under the KLB act — whenever that happens.

The offer that wasn't: How Pak FM bungled up on 'US aid' - Hindustan Times
The offer that wasn't: How Pak FM bungled up on 'US aid' - Hindustan Times
 
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:lol:
They are saying nothing. They simply use executive powers to waive the conditions imposed by the Article 203 as they have been doing so far. As for your bogus WoT and its associated ops like ZeA, everyone there knows what you are doing. In their official capacity, they'll never voice those things out since maintaining a relation with Pakistan is vital for the Afghan mission but Pakistan's support to terrorists is an 'open secret' as has been acknowledged by several senior officials in the US incl. Mullen, Panetta etc. although only at the end or after the completion of their official terms. As for the rest of the world, everyone 'knows' that Pakistan is a terrorist state as was shown by the events of May 11 2011 and 26 November 2008. You can only jump around on your own forums, try going any where else and see the reality.

Indian association with terrorists groups operating from India & Afghanistan also now an 'open secret', Obama is more interested marketing military hardware & financial market or stimulate India against China or will try to get some support against your diplomatic relations father Russian Federation perhaps listening Indian chronic Ramaeen against Pakistan.
 
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Both sides are jumping the gun. The US President is visiting India. So till that is completed, there will be no approval. Once, he comes and goes, the aid will be approved.

Let's say, aid is approved, how exactly does it change our life? And if it gets approved, what exactly are we going to do? Zilch. Because we can do zilch about it. Best stop worrying about this aid nonsense going to Pakistan. Lets worry about our problem and works towards ache din!
 
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Indian association with terrorists groups operating from India & Afghanistan also now an 'open secret', Obama is more interested marketing military hardware & financial market or stimulate India against China or will try to get some support against your diplomatic relations father Russian Federation perhaps listening Indian chronic Ramaeen against Pakistan.

Like Pakistan says, no dossier has been handed over. Anyways, if India is finally coming to its senses, this is brilliant news. For one, I am a full fledged supporter to pay in kind, if any nonsense starts in Kashmir. Thousand cuts should be met with ten thousand cuts. If Kashmir stays normal, keep things sane.
 
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I don't understand why funds from US for our support on WOT has anything to do with India and in particular headline news.

Truly shows how pathetic Indian mindset is. Worry about how to get your men to keep to their pants on in public.
 
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Any comments on this latest development fellas???
perhaps you should read our posts in this entire thread - where atleast I have had quiet a show of my happiness on this - Yes I was happy, not because we were given a clean chit - but because that news was going to hurt few hearts across the border ---
 
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Felt sick. Only you would have felt something in your stomach when seeing your Holy warrior's face.

I have no beef with Hafiz Saeed, he is anti India and so are 180 million Pakistanis, his jamat does lots of good for people. He is very anti TTP and even calls them non muslim. You and your likes can please India as much as you like.
 
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