US House introduces bill to terminate designation of Pakistan as major non-NATO ally

A US Congressman has introduced a bill in the United States House of Representatives to remove Pakistan’s designation as a major non-NATO ally. On the first day of 117th Congress, Republican Andy Biggs introduced the bill to terminate the designation of Pakistan that allows for several benefits including access to excess US defence supplies along with participation in cooperative defence research and development projects. Announcing the same on Twitter, Biggs said on January 4 that the bills would help to reduce the scope of the US federal government. 

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What does the bill say?

According to the bill, the US President is prohibited from issuing a separate designation of Pakistan as a major NATO ally without a presidential certification that Pakistan is continuing to conduct military operations that are contributing to evidently disrupt the safe haven and freedom of movement of the Haqqani network in the nation.

However, the bill also noted that Pakistan has taken some measures to showcase its commitment to preventing the Haqqani network from using any territory of the nation as a safe haven. It also took under consideration that the Pakistan government has actively coordinated with the Afghanistan government to limit the movement of militants including the Haqqani network, especially along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

However, just last month the Afghan government had called out Pakistan for allowing Taliban leaders to meet with the latter's military officials.  Pakistan was named a Major non-NATO ally during the US President George W Bush Administration in 2004.

Currently, there are 17 Major non-NATO allies and Brazil was the last nation that was given the same designation by US President Donald Trump in 2019. Removal from the designation would prohibit Pakistan from entering into cooperative research and development projects with the Department of Defense (DoD) on a shared-cost basis, participation in certain counter-terrorism initiatives among other benefits.

According to the official statement by Biggs’ office, the 28 bills introduced in the office, “removes Pakistan's designation as a major non-NATO ally, a status that allows for various benefits such as access to excess U.S. defence supplies and participation in cooperative defence research and development projects.”

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