The US Senate on last Wednesday approved a bill to triple civilian US aid to Pakistan, a bid to cement a long-term partnership and defeat Islamist fighters threatening the nuclear-armed ally’s stability. Legislators unanimously approved the plan.
The package provides $7.5 billion in humanitarian and economic aid over five years, recommends that level for another five years, while trying the United States military aid to progress against extremists. “This legislation marks an important step towards sustained economic and political cooperation with Pakistan,” said Senator Richard Lugar, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The House of Representative passed its version of the legislation in mid-June and the two chambers must work out and approve a compromise bill before President Barack Obama can sign the measure into the law.
“Pakistan is facing a critical moment,” said Democratic Senator John Kerry, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, after legislators agreed to approve it without dissent.