BJP joins efforts to convince US Congress on Pak aid cuts

The BJP has joined in the efforts mounted by Indian Americans to convince US Congressional leaders to curb their country’s aid to Pakistan.

The BJP has joined in the efforts mounted by Indian Americans to convince US Congressional leaders to curb their country’s aid to Pakistan.

The party deputed its spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman to meet with members of the National Indian American Coalition (NIAC), which organised a “Coffee with Congress” for interacting with the US law makers last week.

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Significantly, NIAC has succeeded in sending more than 50,000 petitions to the US Congress in support of Congressman Ted Poe’s bill to cut off all foreign aid to Pakistan.

Besides Poe, Sitharaman interacted with Republican representatives Joe Walsh of Illinois, Kevin Yoder of Kansas, Pete Olson of Texas, BJP sources said.

She told them that recent moves in the US Congress to cut aid to Pakistan were encouraging sign. “These (US) aid seem to be misdirected towards encouraging and facilitating terrorists groups in Pakistan, who seem to be moving freely in Afghanistan and also probably targeting India.”

Sitharaman said the BJP wanted a "happy and prosperous" Pakistan. "But we also say that although there is a democratically elected government in Islamabad, we don't know who is ruling the country, and non-state actors are moving about freely."

Sitharaman said, "The BJP wants Pakistan to be more accountable for money sent to it; that as long as it is not sure who is ruling that country, it is time for the US to review the situation of aid to Pakistan."

She said for the US to dole out military aid in such a situation was not conducive to international peace, and "items like F-16s won't be used against the Taliban."

The BJP spokesperson briefed US lawmakers about post-26/11 attack-related issues, India presenting “overwhelming evidence” to Pakistan about the attackers, role of “non-state” actors and why no headway had been made in that country.