Pak aid bill in US Congress delayed till late April

WASHINGTON: The US Congress likely will not complete legislation tripling US non-military assistance to Pakistan before late April at the earliest, a congressional aide said Wednesday. Democratic Senator John Kerry and Republican Richard Lugar, the senior members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, were expected shortly to introduce their plan for boosting aid to the nuclear-armed US ally by 7.5 billion dollars over the next five years. Both senators have described the package as urgent, but it could be weeks before the Senate and House of Representatives send US President Barack Obama legislation he can sign into law, the aide said on condition of anonymity. The official spoke to reporters on condition that he not be named and that he not be directly quoted. The legislation would first have to clear Kerry's panel, which would likely not happen until after a two-week congressional recess due to start April 6, then get through the full Senate. The House of Representatives would have to pass companion legislation, after which the two chambers would have to reconcile their versions to send a compromise to Obama, a process that could drag into May or later, the aide said.