In another setback for Pakistan, an influential Republican Congressman, Andy Biggs has reintroduced a legislation in the US House of Representatives that seeks to terminate Pakistan's designation as a major non-NATO ally. Biggs, who is also the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, has reintroduced the bill which seeks Pakistan's credible actions against Haqqani Network to remain a major non-NATO ally of the US.
The bill says that the president first needs to be assured that Pakistan continues to conduct military operations that are contributing to significantly disrupting the safe haven and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network before issuing a certification to Islamabad.
The certification also needs to say that Pakistan has taken steps to demonstrate its commitment to prevent the Haqqani Network from using Pakistan as a safe haven and that Islamabad actively coordinates with the Afghan government to restrict the movement of militants such as the Haqqani Network, along the Afghan-Pak border.
The bill was first introduced in the US House of Representatives by Biggs in January 2019 and then in every Congress since then. It has failed to make any legislative progress in all the previous attempts.
(With inputs from AP)
