BBC News | SOUTH ASIA | Congressmen back lifting Pakistan sanctions

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Friday, 21 September, 2001, 07:37 GMT 08:37 UK

Congressmen back lifting Pakistan sanctions

The heads of the foreign relations committees in the US Congress have expressed support for easing sanctions against Pakistan following its promise to help the US fight terrorism.

In a statement, the chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, Joseph Biden, said he believed the US had to stand with Pakistan since the military leader, General Pervez Musharraf, had pledged unstinting support.

The chairman of the House International Relations Committee, Henry Hyde, said Pakistan had been very forthcoming and he thought the US could be flexible about sanctions.

The US imposed sanctions in 1990 and 1998 in response to Pakistan's nuclear programme.

Further measures were imposed in 1999 after Gen Musharraf seized power.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service