[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 200 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 200

 Expressing the strong opposition of Congress to the military coup in 
Pakistan and calling for a civilian, democratically-elected government 
                  to be returned to power in Pakistan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 19, 1999

Mr. Gejdenson (for himself, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Ackerman, and Mr. Pallone) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the strong opposition of Congress to the military coup in 
Pakistan and calling for a civilian, democratically-elected government 
                  to be returned to power in Pakistan.

Whereas the United States has a vital interest in promoting stability in South 
        Asia, reducing tensions between India and Pakistan, and promoting United 
        States political, economic, strategic, and humanitarian interests in 
        both of those nations;
Whereas on October 12, 1999, the armed forces of Pakistan, led by Army Chief of 
        Staff General Pervez Musharraf, overthrew the democratically-elected 
        Government of Pakistan in violation of the Constitution of the Islamic 
        Republic of Pakistan;
Whereas on October 15, 1999, General Musharraf declared a state of emergency, 
        suspended Pakistan's Constitution, dismissed the national government and 
        the legislature, and declared himself Pakistan's supreme leader;
Whereas Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his brother Shabaz Sharif who was 
        the chief minister of Punjab, and several cabinet members have been 
        placed under house arrest;
Whereas the United States has a vital interest in the promotion of democracy 
        abroad and is strongly opposed to military takeovers of democratically-
        elected governments;
Whereas the United States has invoked section 508 of the Foreign Operations, 
        Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1999, as 
        enacted by division A of the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency 
        Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105-277), which 
        provides that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available 
        under that Act may be obligated or expended to finance directly any 
        assistance to any country whose duly elected head of government is 
        deposed by military coup or decree;
Whereas Pakistan's military rulers must understand that the United States will 
        not carry on a business-as-usual relationship until a civilian, 
        democratically-elected government is returned to power;
Whereas the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2000 (presented by 
        Congress on October 14, 1999, for the President's approval), would grant 
        the President the ability to waive sanctions against India and Pakistan 
        otherwise required under section 102(b) of the Arms Export Control Act 
        (22 U.S.C. 2799aa-1) and section 620E(e) of the Foreign Assistance Act 
        of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2375), and would also grant the President, for the 
        first time since the invocation of section 620E(e) of the Foreign 
        Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2375), the ability to approve 
        commercial and government-to-government military sales to Pakistan;
Whereas Congress believes that the United States should not consider the sale of 
        any military equipment or services, or reinstatement of Pakistan's 
        eligibility for international military education and training, until a 
        civilian, democratically-elected government is returned to power in 
        Pakistan; and
Whereas the military has been in control of Pakistan for 25 of Pakistan's 52-
        year history, and no democratically-elected head of state there has 
        completed an elected term of office: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) condemns the overthrow of the democratically-elected 
        Government of Pakistan by the armed forces of Pakistan on 
        October 12, 1999, in violation of the Constitution of the 
        Islamic Republic of Pakistan;
            (2) further condemns the subsequent declaration by General 
        Musharraf of a state of emergency, the suspension of Pakistan's 
        Constitution, the dismissal of the national government and the 
        legislature, and the declaration of himself as Pakistan's 
        supreme leader;
            (3) expresses grave concern about the implications for 
        security and stability in the South Asia region, in light of 
        the history of tensions between India and Pakistan and the fact 
        that both nations have recently tested nuclear devices, and 
        urges both of those countries to exercise restraint in the 
        current environment;
            (4) calls for the immediate restoration of a civilian, 
        democratically-elected government in Pakistan, including the 
        legislature, and the restoration of democracy and the rule of 
        law;
            (5) urges the armed forces of Pakistan to respect the human 
        rights of all Pakistani citizens, including those members of 
        the national government who are currently being illegally 
        detained in violation of their constitutional and human rights; 
        and
            (6) calls on the President not to consider exercising the 
        waiver authority which would be granted to him by the 
        Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2000 (presented by 
        Congress on October 14, 1999, for the President's approval), to 
        allow the sale of any military equipment or services to 
        Pakistan, or reinstatement of Pakistan's eligibility for 
        international military education and training, until a 
        civilian, democratically-elected government is returned to 
        power in Pakistan.
                                 <all>