US Democrats to work for good ties with Pakistan
Picture shows Anwar Zaheer Jamali Chief Justice of the high court of southern Sindh province of Pakistan (C) reading an oath to seven judges who were among dozens sacked by Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf during an oath ceremony in Karachi yesterday. Eight judges among dozens sacked by Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf were reappointed by the government.Photo: AFP
US policies towards Pakistan will undergo major changes if Barack Obama is elected in November, shows a document adopted on Tuesday as the Democratic Party platform, 2008.
The platform, which is called a manifesto in the subcontinent, outlines the plan the party intends to implement during the next four years if it wins the presidential election scheduled for Nov 4.
The document focuses on two major issues -- militancy in Fata and nuclear proliferation -- while seeking to redefine America's ties with Pakistan.
A Democratic White House, however, will not disengage itself from Pakistan. Instead, it calls for stronger ties with the people of Pakistan and promises to “significantly increase” non-military aid.
But the military aid will be conditioned to Pakistan's performance in the “war on terror”.
“We must move beyond an alliance built on individual leaders, or we will face mounting opposition in a nuclear-armed nation at the nexus of terror, extremism and the instability wrought by autocracy,” the document warns.
“We will ask more of the Pakistani government, rather than offer a blank cheque to an undemocratic president,” it adds. “We will significantly increase non-military aid to the Pakistani people and sustain it for a decade, while ensuring that the military assistance we provide is actually used to fight extremists.”
While talking about the threat of nuclear proliferation, the document pledges “make absolutely sure that a disaster like the A.Q. Khan black market network, which grew out of Pakistan's nuclear programme, can never happen again.”
The Democratic Party also pledges to take steps to reduce tension between India and Pakistan and guard against the possibility of their nuclear weapons falling into the wrong hands.
“We must also work with our friends, India and Pakistan, in their efforts to resolve longstanding differences,” the document adds.
The unanimously adopted document, however, is very critical of Pakistan's alleged failure to control militancy in Fata. “The greatest threat to the security of the Afghan people - and the American people - lies in the tribal regions of Pakistan, where terrorists train, plot attacks, and strike into Afghanistan and move back across the border,” the party warns. “We cannot tolerate a sanctuary for Al Qaeda.”
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