[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 21 (Monday, February 5, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H1173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            PAKISTAN REFUSING TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST TALIBAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor this evening to once 
again call upon Pakistani President Musharraf to take action against 
Taliban fighters in the western region of his country. President 
Musharraf continues to deny that Taliban leaders are hiding in Pakistan 
and that the Taliban are regrouping there, despite numerous 
international press accounts describing otherwise.
  President Musharraf claims that securing the border between Pakistan 
and Afghanistan is not the sole responsibility of his country. He has 
admitted that border guards at the tactical level often, quote, turn a 
blind eye when insurgents cross the border into Pakistan. Yet he still 
shirks the responsibility his country must take in dealing with the 
situation.
  In Musa Qala, a town in southern Afghanistan where a peace deal last 
year was signed by NATO-led troops and local elders, government 
officials confirmed that Taliban forces had taken partial control of 
the town in the last few days. The Taliban's movement into Musa Qala 
completely disregards the peace agreement and goes against the wishes 
of the Afghani citizens living in the town.
  A similar deal was developed last year in North Waziristan, a region 
in western Pakistan. As was the case in Musa Qala, Taliban fighters 
disregarded this deal and have taken partial control of the region. Yet 
President Musharraf continues to defend this peace deal, despite the 
fact that the Taliban seemed to have created a stronghold in the region 
where they can likely plan future offensives against U.S. forces and 
the citizens of Afghanistan.
  If the Pakistani President truly wishes to defend this peace deal, he 
must take the necessary steps towards eliminating Taliban forces, not 
only in North Waziristan, but throughout his country. President 
Musharraf has also scaled back plans to enforce and patrol the border 
between Afghanistan and Pakistan. If Musharraf actually wishes to 
eliminate Taliban forces in Pakistan, he must work to control this 
border in a safe and diplomatic manner.
  Madam Speaker, last week I came to the floor to highlight H.R. 1, a 
bill that implements the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 
Commission. This is part of our first 100 hours. Included in H.R. 1 is 
language that would end U.S. military assistance and armed sales 
licensing to Pakistan unless it is certified that the Islamabad 
government is, I quote, making all possible efforts to end Taliban 
activities on Pakistani soil.
  It is my hope that once this law is passed, the bill will finally 
force President Musharraf to crack down on Taliban training camps and 
leaders within his country. The Bush administration, however, has 
already signaled its opposition to this language in H.R. 1. Last week, 
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State John Gastright assured Musharraf's 
government that the administration opposed any end to military 
assistance to Pakistan.
  I believe it is absolutely unacceptable for President Bush to oppose 
these actions against the Pakistani government. The language in H.R. 1 
places appropriate pressure on President Musharraf to finally take 
suitable action against the Taliban forces currently plotting within 
his country's borders.
  The Bush administration claims that it deals with President Musharraf 
regardless of his actions, because it believes the Pakistani President 
is better than the Islamic extremist and anti-Western alternatives in 
Pakistan.
  However, there are Democratic alternatives in Pakistan. According to 
a recent poll by the International Republican Institute, the second 
most popular leader in Pakistan is former Prime Minister Benazir 
Bhutto. Now, Mrs. Bhutto's party, the Pakistani People's Party, has 
joined with the Muslim League Party to form the Alliance for 
Restoration of Democracy and hopes to restore democratic government to 
Pakistan in the near future.
  Madam Speaker, it is essential for the United States to increase 
pressure on President Musharraf to step up his commitment to eliminate 
Taliban fighters in training hubs in his country. A significant step 
towards applying this pressure came with the language in H.R. 1, which 
we passed in the first 100 hours, ending military aid to Pakistan 
unless the Pakistani President takes steps towards this goal of routing 
out Taliban forces. It is imperative for President Bush to realize the 
importance of the language in this bill and support the provisions 
outlined in H.R. 1.

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