Washington DC: In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin, USINPAC urged assistance in opposing any International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans to Pakistan until Pakistan ends state-sponsored terrorism.
“USINPAC is not against the people of Pakistan, or aid for education, economic development, women’s empowerment, etc.,” Sanjay Puri, Chairman of USINPAC, said. “But we are against state-sponsored terrorism.”
On Feb. 14, 2019, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a Pakistan-based and supported terrorist organization, carried out a terrorist attack in Pulwama in which more than 40 Indian paramilitary officers lost their lives. The attack happened due to cover provided by JeM by Pakistan. India rightfully responded because it had to defend its sovereignty. This attack was no isolated incident. Cross-border terrorism disputes over Jammu and Kashmir have been ongoing since 1947. Between 300,000-500,000 Kashmiri Hindus have migrated due to persecution. In 2001, tensions escalated when terrorists from Pakistan attacked India’s Parliament in New Delhi. In response, the two countries amassed nearly a million troops along their common border. U.S. response has been generally apathetic, amounting to little more than encouraging India and Pakistan to sit down and resolve their differences. USINPAC is calling for action – no IMF bailout for Pakistan until Pakistan bans and arrests its terrorist groups and militants.
As Congressman Brad Sherman reportedly said, “Any loan to Pakistan cannot be just a convenient way for cash-strapped Pakistan to repay its debt to China.” Last year, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned against the IMF using American dollars to bail out Pakistan’s bondholders. “Make no mistake,” he said. “We will be watching what the IMF does.”
“USINPAC will be watching, too,” Puri stated. “When it comes to Pakistan’s track record of terrorism, IMF’s tool of economic surveillance is not enough. This is why USINPAC commends the Trump Administration for cutting off aid to Pakistan, and why we encourage the U.S. Treasury to weigh in with the IMF. The U.S. is the largest cumulative contributor to the IMF and should say no more bail-outs, loans or Stand-By Agreements until Pakistan changes course.”
USINPAC is a bi-partisan organization – the voice of over 3.2 million Indian Americans. We connect our members to candidates of their choice. During the 2020 election cycle, we will be hosting events across the country to make sure Indian Americans are heard. If you would like to be part of this historic effort and bring about outcomes that matter, sign up for our email updates and get involved today at www.usinpac.com