New GOP Measure Would Bar Pentagon Assistance to Pakistan
The Department of Defense would be barred from providing assistance to Pakistan under a new amendment to the House of Representatives’ annual appropriations legislation. The measure, introduced by Tennessee Republican Andy Ogles, would cut off funds to Pakistan in the wake of an ongoing crackdown by the country’s military establishment and its civilian allies.
Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, has been imprisoned by the Pakistani military and its allies. Despite the country’s High Court recently suspending a controversial sentence that barred him from running in upcoming elections, Khan remains behind bars. He is being held under the country’s Official Secrets Act, which is being enforced in apparent disregard for the Pakistani Constitution after being rejected by the nation’s president. Khan is charged with mishandling a secret government cable describing U.S. pressure to oust him from office. A hearing was held secretly in prison on Wednesday, with Khan’s detention extended to September 13, as the investigation continues.
Anti-military protests have erupted throughout Pakistan in recent days due to anger over increasing energy prices resulting from demands made by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF bailout was necessary to counteract the capital flight and economic collapse that has accelerated in the wake of Khan’s ouster.
Pakistan has been a recipient of billions of dollars in U.S. military aid over the past two decades, primarily to support cooperation in the global war on terror and the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan. Although the pipeline of annual Pentagon funding to the Pakistani military was significantly reduced during the Trump administration, the Department of Defense continues to provide other military support to the country. Military cooperation between Pakistan and the U.S. has increased again since Khan’s ouster, with the Pakistani military now emerging as a significant supplier of military aid to Ukraine.
“The U.S. has long forgiven the unforgivable with Pakistan in the name of geopolitical expediency, dating back Nixon and Kissinger’s complicity with Operation Searchlight and the Bangladeshi genocide. The Biden Administration and Secretary Blinken’s tepid non-response to the Pakistani military’s brutal crackdown on the political opposition and independent media is a disappointing continuation of this history and a betrayal of the rules-based democracy they claim to stand for,” said Nathan Thompson with the advocacy group Just Foreign Policy. “I’m glad to see members of Congress finally seeking to review and potentially end U.S. complicity in abuses by Pakistan’s military regime.”
While the amendment to the appropriations bill faces long odds, its introduction reflects growing concerns about democratic backsliding in Pakistan across party lines. During the debate over the National Defense Authorization Act earlier this summer, Democratic Rep. Greg Casar of Texas pushed an amendment that would direct the State Department to study that backsliding, but it wasn’t ruled in order for a vote on the House floor. Ogles did not respond to a request for comment.
Pakistan is currently being led by a caretaker civilian government backed by the military, and the timing of future elections remains uncertain. A readout of a State Department meeting between U.S. diplomat Victoria Nuland and Pakistani Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani earlier this week stated that the U.S. and Pakistan had “discussed the importance of timely, free and fair elections in a manner consistent with Pakistan’s laws and constitution.”
In conclusion, the proposed amendment to cut off Pentagon assistance to Pakistan reflects growing concerns about democratic backsliding in the country. Imran Khan’s imprisonment and the crackdown by the Pakistani military have raised alarm bells among lawmakers. While the amendment faces an uphill battle, it highlights the need for a closer examination of U.S. support for Pakistan’s military regime. The future of Pakistan’s democracy hangs in the balance, and timely, free, and fair elections are crucial for its stability and progress.