[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 372 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 372

  Expressing the sense of the Senate on the declaration of a state of 
                         emergency in Pakistan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 8, 2007

   Mr. Kerry (for himself, Mr. Biden, Mr. Obama, Mr. Casey, and Mr. 
 Durbin) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the Senate on the declaration of a state of 
                         emergency in Pakistan.

Whereas a democratic, stable, and prosperous Pakistan that is a full and 
        reliable partner in the struggle against Al Qaeda and the Taliban and a 
        responsible steward of its nuclear weapons and technology is a vital 
        national security interest of the United States and essential to 
        combating international terrorism;
Whereas General Pervez Musharraf became the President of Pakistan following a 
        military coup in October 1999;
Whereas President Musharraf dismissed Pakistan's Chief Justice of the Supreme 
        Court, Iftikhar Chaudhry, on March 9, 2007, resulting in massive street 
        protests and a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to 
        clear him of any wrongdoing and reinstate him on July 20, 2007;
Whereas the Government of Pakistan announced on September 18, 2007, that, if re-
        elected President of Pakistan, General Musharraf would resign his 
        position as Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan by November 15, 2007;
Whereas the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaukat Aziz, called this announcement 
        ``a clear reflection of President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's firm belief in 
        democracy'';
Whereas an amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan allowing President 
        Musharraf to hold the Government of Pakistan's top civilian and military 
        leadership positions expires on December 31, 2007;
Whereas President Musharraf and former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto 
        conducted extensive negotiations on a power-sharing arrangement that 
        would allow Ms. Bhutto to return to Pakistan and lead the Pakistan 
        People's Party in parliamentary elections in Pakistan scheduled for 
        January 15, 2008;
Whereas President Musharraf was elected to another term by the lame-duck 
        parliament and provincial assemblies of Pakistan on October 6, 2007;
Whereas the Supreme Court of Pakistan has been reviewing the constitutionality 
        of this election and intended to issue a ruling in November 2007;
Whereas former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan on 
        September 10, 2007, and was immediately forced to leave the country in 
        contradiction of a ruling by the Supreme Court of Pakistan;
Whereas former Prime Minister Bhutto returned to Pakistan on October 18, 2007, 
        after more than 8 years in exile, and was immediately targeted in a 
        suicide bombing by extremists in Karachi, Pakistan, that left at least 
        140 people dead and more than 500 injured;
Whereas on August 10, 2007, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice personally 
        requested that President Musharraf refrain from suspending the 
        Constitution of Pakistan, and on November 1, 2007, again reiterated to 
        President Musharraf United States opposition to any ``extra-
        constitutional'' measures;
Whereas over the past 6 years, the United States has provided approximately 
        $10,000,000,000 in aid to Pakistan, of which about 60 percent was 
        Coalition Support Funds designed to reimburse Pakistan for counter-
        terrorism efforts, 15 percent was for security assistance to the 
        military, 15 percent was for debt relief and general budget support, and 
        approximately 10 percent was for humanitarian assistance;
Whereas Admiral William Fallon, the senior United States military commander in 
        the Middle East and Southwest Asia, advised General Musharraf on 
        November 2, 2007, that emergency rule might place military aid at risk;
Whereas on November 3, 2007, General Musharraf, in his role as Chief of Army 
        Staff of Pakistan, declared a state of emergency, suspended the 
        Constitution of Pakistan, dismissed Chief Justice Chaudhry, and 
        initiated a nation-wide crackdown on political opposition, the media, 
        and the courts of Pakistan that resulted in the arrest of more than 
        1,000 political opponents;
Whereas the Administration declared that imposition of emergency rule was 
        ``deeply disturbing'', and Secretary of State Rice said that the United 
        States would ``have to review the situation with aid'' in light of these 
        developments;
Whereas on November 7, 2007, President George W. Bush spoke with President 
        Musharraf and conveyed the message that ``we believe strongly in 
        elections, and that you ought to have elections soon, and you need to 
        take off your uniform''; and
Whereas on November 8, 2007, the Government of Pakistan announced that 
        parliamentary elections in Pakistan would be held by February 15, 2008, 
        and that President Musharraf would relinquish his position as Chief of 
        Army Staff of Pakistan prior to being sworn in as President of Pakistan: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate--
            (1) to condemn the decision by President Pervez Musharraf 
        of Pakistan to declare a state of emergency in Pakistan, 
        suspend the Constitution of Pakistan, dismiss the Supreme Court 
        Justices refusing to take a loyalty oath, and initiate a 
        nation-wide crackdown on political opposition, the media, and 
        the courts in Pakistan;
            (2) to call on President Musharraf to revoke the state of 
        emergency, respect the rule of law and immediately release 
        political detainees, restore the Constitution of Pakistan, 
        restore freedom of the press and judicial independence in 
        Pakistan, and reinstate all dismissed members of the Supreme 
        Court of Pakistan;
            (3) to call upon President Musharraf to honor his 
        commitment to relinquish his position as Chief of Army Staff of 
        Pakistan, allow free and fair parliamentary elections in 
        Pakistan in accordance with the schedule mandated by the 
        Constitution of Pakistan, establish an independent commission 
        to guarantee that such elections are free and fair, and permit 
        full and unfettered independent monitoring of such elections;
            (4) that the Government of the United States should provide 
        whatever assistance is necessary to facilitate such free and 
        fair elections, including by supporting independent election 
        monitoring organizations and efforts;
            (5) to call upon the Government of Pakistan to conduct a 
        full investigation into the attempted assassination of former 
        Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto and provide her and 
        other political leaders with all necessary security to ensure 
        their personal safety; and
            (6) that United States military assistance to Pakistan 
        should be subjected to careful review, and that assistance for 
        the purchase of certain weapons systems not directly related to 
        the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban should be suspended 
        if President Musharraf does not revoke the state of emergency 
        and restore the Constitution of Pakistan, relinquish his 
        position as Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, and allow for free 
        and fair elections to be held in Pakistan in accordance with 
        the announced timeframe.
                                 <all>