KL Bill critics, those against Pak govt or Taliban supporters: Holbrooke

Lahore, Nov.4 : Furious over the criticism that the Kerry Lugar bill has received in different Pakistani political quarters, US Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, has said that all those who are against the US aid are either against the country's democratic set-up or are Taliban supporters.

According to a private television channel, Holbrooke, though concerned by Pakistan’s current turbulent situation, rejected the notion that the country’s situation would become similar to what happened earlier in the year (March 16) when the top US officials had to call on Pakistani leadership to sort out issues related to the restoration of the judiciary.

Commenting on the issue of promulgation of the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), Holbrooke said the matter was not discussed during the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent Pakistan visit.

He said the US is fully aware and keeping a close watch over the developments in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that all issues regarding the Kerry Lugar bill, which offers Pakistan 7.5 billion dollars annually over the next five years, has been sorted out after the US attached an explanatory note with the legislation.

In an interview with a leading Malay newspaper, Qureshi said he had discussed in detail Islamabad’s reservations over the aid with the US officials, following which the Obama Administration stitched the memo with it.

Responding to a question, he said Pakistan’s relationship with Washington has never been ‘consistent’, however, the Obama Administration through heavy consultation is working towards decreasing the trust deficit between both the countries.

“Washington took notice of it and started a process of extensive consultation and exchange of views with the democratically elected government of Pakistan to set a mechanism in place to remove the inconsistencies,” The Daily Times quoted Qureshi, as saying.

--ANI