US certifies $1.5 bn aid for Pakistan's actions against terrorists: India slams decision

United States Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday lauded Pakistan’s efforts and certified aid against the country for taking action against terrorists. The approval comes days after a  Pakistani boat blew itself up near the Gujarat coast on 2 January and the Defence Ministry claimed the boat had suspected terrorists on-board. Kerry signed a certification which makes Pakistan eligible to receive aid under the Kerry-Lugar Bill, a report in The Times Of India said. Under the Bill, officially known as the “Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009”, the US administration needs to certify that Pakistan has taken action to prevent “al Qaeda, Taliban and associated terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba from operating in the territory of Pakistan,” the TOI report further added. [caption id=“attachment_1817265” align=“alignleft” width=“380” class=" “]  US Secretary of State John Kerry. AP[/caption] Passed by the US Congress in 2010, the Bill was proposed by John Kerry and Richard Lugar. The Act allows the administration to release $1.5 billion every year for Pakistan as non-military aid for the period of 2010-2014, a report in the Zee News noted. With a Kerry nod, US President Barack Obama is expected to clear the aid soon, the report added. The decision comes weeks before both -John Kerry and Barack Obama - are scheduled to visit India. Preparations would begin in full swing this week, for Obama’s India visit to attend the January 26 Republic Day Parade as chief guest. His visit would be preceded by Kerry’s visit. The US Secretary  of State will be here to attend the Vibrant Gujarat Summit. Although, the US move might not go down too well with India with Pakistan facing flak over Mumbai terror mastermind and  LeT co-founder Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi’s bail plea as well as the cross border firing going unabated as a routine. In a Zee News report, Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar did not comment on the US move but said, “We are trying to ensure that terrorism does not grow or penetrate into India… I do not get into a discussion on ‘good’ and ‘bad’ terrorism. All terrorism is bad.” The ministry of external affairs on Monday also asserted that its neighbour was not showing “sustained commitment” or “ceasing support” or dismantling “bases of operations” of terror groups including LeT and al Qaeda. But the ministry also maintained that “how the US government decides to spend US tax payers money is entirely its prerogative”, while reacting to the US’ signing off a certification that the Pakistan government has “prevented al Qaeda, the Taliban and associated terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad from operating” from its territory. “However, India does not believe that Pakistan is showing “sustained commitment” or making “significant effort” or ceasing support” or dismantling “bases of operations” of the Laskhar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, the Haqqani network and quite possibly the al Qaeda. “Also with increasing citings of Punjabi/Urdu speaking elements operating with terrorist groups inside Afghanistan, we now also know that these very groups also pose a significant threat to members of the international community working in Afghanistan including to Indian diplomatic personnel working in the Indian Embassy in Kabul and our four Consulates,” Official Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry Syed Akbaruddin said. Kerry will also visit Pakistan later this month to hold a strategic dialogue in Islamabad.