A group of powerful Democrats has introduced a resolution in the United States Senate, seeking the suspension of weapon systems transfer to Pakistan, primarily designed for combat against India, if it is found that American aid is not being used to promote democracy and fight violent radicalism.

Sponsored by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden, the resolution urged President George W Bush [Images] to review the existing aid to Islamabad "to ensure that all assistance furthers the common goals shared by the people of Pakistan and the United States, with specific reference to combating violent radicalism and promoting a free and democratic Pakistan."

Significantly for the first time, the Senate Resolution explicitly tells Bush that if the review concludes that the conditions described in the above have not been met then he should "suspend (until such time as such conditions can be met) the transfer to Pakistan of weapons systems primarily designed and manufactured for combat against a rival state, rather than counter-terrorism or counter-insurgency."

The resolution also condemned, in the strongest possible terms, the murder of former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto [Images] on December 27 last year and the slaughter of at least 165 other Pakistani citizens in this attack and the prior attempt on her life in Karachi on October 18.

It called upon the Pakistan government to do everything in its power to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice, and permit investigators to follow their inquiries in whatever direction they may lead; as also to support and facilitate an independent inquiry into the assassination of Bhutto.

The Senate resolution strongly urged the Pakistan government to ensure that free and fair elections are held on February 18 as scheduled, and that independent poll monitors are allowed to monitor the elections.

It called on the Election Commission of the country to remove all of the restrictions it recently placed on election observation activities, which included efforts to restrict observer movement and the conduct of exit polling on Election Day.

It urged President Pervez Musharraf [Images] to replace the partisan caretaker governments at the federal, provincial and district levels with neutral administrations acceptable to all major political parties, and to reconstitute the Election Commission as a genuinely non-partisan body.

The Senators also called on Islamabad to provide adequate security, including the provision of adequately armoured vehicles and properly functioning jamming equipment to help prevent the detonation of explosive devices, to all senior opposition political leaders.

The Senate resolution also asked Pakistan "to release those individuals still being detained without charges and to end the ongoing harassment of judges, opposition party activists, and lawyers" and end all restrictions on the media and freedom of speech.

The co-sponsors of the Biden resolution include Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senators Barack Obama, Diane Feinstein, Robert Menendez, Robert Casey, Tom Harkin, Richard Durbin and Max Baucus.

The resolution has been referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Biden said the murder of Bhutto was a human tragedy, but one with potentially dire political and national security repercussions. "In the wake of this shocking act of terrorism, Pakistani democracy remains seriously threatened."

"This is not merely a matter of concern to Pakistan, but to the US as well. Until the political crisis in Pakistan is resolved, no government in Islamabad will have the focus, the will, or the military and intelligence resources necessary to combat the threat of al-Qaeda terrorism and Taliban insurgency effectively," said Biden, a strong critic of the Bush administration's Pakistan policy.

Moving the resolution, he said, "Bush has often said that a democratic Pakistan will be our best partner in the battle against radical theocrats and bloodthirsty terrorists. I wholeheartedly agree and urge the President to demonstrate that his words are something more than empty rhetoric."

"Specifically, I urge the President to let the Pakistani military establishment know that the US$ 10 billion we have provided in assistance over the past 6 years - the vast bulk of it security assistance - is not a blank check. The American people and the Pakistani people, have a right to insist that their money is being well spent."

"At a time when Pakistani soldiers and paramilitary troops are sent to fight Taliban without bulletproof vests, without sufficient ammunition, sometimes marching through the snow in sandals rather than combat boots. At such a time, does it make sense to spend US$ 500 million on high-tech, highcost, nuclear-capable fighter aircraft?" Biden asked.

"Does it make sense to spend hundreds of millions on P-3 naval surveillance aircraft specifically designed to hunt submarines? So far as I know, al-Qaeda has not yet developed a submarine navy," the Delaware Democrat added.

"The White House claims that weapons systems like these are indeed counter-terrorism tools, but such a claim is an insult to common sense," Biden said.