[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.
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