IV

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 200

Expressing the strong opposition of Congress to the military coup in Pakistan

and calling for a civilian, democratically-elected government to be returned to power in Pakistan.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 19, 1999

Mr. GEJDENSON (for himself, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. ACKERMAN, and Mr.

PALLONE) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the strong opposition of Congress to the military

coup in Pakistan and calling for a civilian, democratically-elected government to be returned to power in

Pakistan.

Whereas the United States has a vital interest in promoting

stability in South Asia, reducing tensions between India

and Pakistan, and promoting United States political, economic, strategic, and humanitarian interests in both of

those nations;

Whereas on October 12, 1999, the armed forces of Pakistan,

led by Army Chief of Staff General Pervez Musharraf,

overthrew the democratically-elected Government of Pakistan in violation of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan;
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Whereas on October 15, 1999, General Musharraf declared a

state of emergency, suspended Pakistan’s Constitution,

dismissed the national government and the legislature,

and declared himself Pakistan’s supreme leader;

Whereas Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his brother

Shabaz Sharif who was the chief minister of Punjab, and

several cabinet members have been placed under house

arrest;

Whereas the United States has a vital interest in the promotion of democracy abroad and is strongly opposed to

military takeovers of democratically-elected governments;

Whereas the United States has invoked section 508 of the

Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1999, as enacted by division

A of the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105–277),

which provides that none of the funds appropriated or

otherwise made available under that Act may be obligated

or expended to finance directly any assistance to any

country whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree;

Whereas Pakistan’s military rulers must understand that the

United States will not carry on a business-as-usual relationship until a civilian, democratically-elected government is returned to power;

Whereas the Department of Defense Appropriations Act,

2000 (presented by Congress on October 14, 1999, for

the President’s approval), would grant the President the

ability to waive sanctions against India and Pakistan otherwise required under section 102(b) of the Arms Export

Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2799aa–1) and section 620E(e)
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of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2375),

and would also grant the President, for the first time

since the invocation of section 620E(e) of the Foreign

Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2375), the ability to

approve commercial and government-to-government military sales to Pakistan;

Whereas Congress believes that the United States should not

consider the sale of any military equipment or services,

or reinstatement of Pakistan’s eligibility for international

military education and training, until a civilian, democratically-elected government is returned to power in

Pakistan; and

Whereas the military has been in control of Pakistan for 25

of Pakistan’s 52-year history, and no democraticallyelected head of state there has completed an elected term

of office: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That Congress—

3 (1) condemns the overthrow of the democrat4 ically-elected Government of Pakistan by the armed

5 forces of Pakistan on October 12, 1999, in violation

6 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Paki7 stan;

8 (2) further condemns the subsequent declara9 tion by General Musharraf of a state of emergency,

10 the suspension of Pakistan’s Constitution, the dis11 missal of the national government and the legisla-
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1 ture, and the declaration of himself as Pakistan’s

2 supreme leader;

3 (3) expresses grave concern about the implica4 tions for security and stability in the South Asia re5 gion, in light of the history of tensions between

6 India and Pakistan and the fact that both nations

7 have recently tested nuclear devices, and urges both

8 of those countries to exercise restraint in the current

9 environment;

10 (4) calls for the immediate restoration of a ci11 vilian, democratically-elected government in Paki12 stan, including the legislature, and the restoration of

13 democracy and the rule of law;

14 (5) urges the armed forces of Pakistan to re15 spect the human rights of all Pakistani citizens, in16 cluding those members of the national government

17 who are currently being illegally detained in violation

18 of their constitutional and human rights; and

19 (6) calls on the President not to consider exer20 cising the waiver authority which would be granted

21 to him by the Department of Defense Appropria22 tions Act, 2000 (presented by Congress on October

23 14, 1999, for the President’s approval), to allow the

24 sale of any military equipment or services to Paki25 stan, or reinstatement of Pakistan’s eligibility for
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1 international military education and training, until a

2 civilian, democratically-elected government is re3 turned to power in Pakistan.

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