A US bill seeking to triple non- military aid to Pakistan to a massive USD 1.5 billion annually has asked Islamabad to stop supporting terror groups active in India, recognising that certain elements in its establishment, specially ISI, have aided and trained such organisations over the past few decades.

The Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement (PEACE) Act, carrying bi-partisan support, has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Howard L Berman, Chairman of powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee.

An identical bill is scheduled to be tabled in Senate soon. The bill aimed at trippling the aid to Pakistan to USD 1.5 billion per annum for the next five years is part of the new Af-Pak policy of US President Barack Obama.

Unlike the Bush Administration wherein there was no accountability of the USD 10 billion given to Pakistan post 9/11 attacks, the new bill not only tends to make Islamabad accountable for the every penny spent, but also lists out do's and don'ts for the Islamabad Government.

Noting that certain elements in Pakistani establishment, especially ISI, have supported, aided and trained organisations to carry out terrorist activities in India over the past few decades, the PEACE bill imposes condition on Pakistan not to "support any person or group that conducts violence, sabotage or other activities meant to instil fear or terror in India."

Without directly naming disgraced Pakistani scientist A Q Khan, the bill asks Islamabad to ensure access of US investigators to individuals suspected of engaging in worldwide proliferation of nuclear materials and restrict such individuals from any travel or any other activity that could result in further proliferation, the 59-page bill, a copy of which has been obtained by the PTI, enjoys bi-partisan support. Besides Berman, it has been co-sponsored by Congressmen Ron Kirk (Republican from Illinois), Gary Ackerman (Democrat from New York), Edward Royce (Democrat from California), Sheila Jackson-Lee (Democrat from Texas), Brad Sherman (Democrat from California) and Robert Wexler (Democrat from New York).

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