[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 173 (Thursday, November 8, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14201-S14202]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 372--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE 
            DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN PAKISTAN

  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:

                              S. Res. 372

       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

[[Page S14202]]

     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.

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