Barack Obama Likely to Sign Kerry-Lugar bill Friday

WASHINGTON, Barack Obama Likely to Sign Kerry-Lugar bill Friday, USA President Barack Obama is more likely to sign the bill for the provision of USD 7.5 billion in aid to Pakistan law on Friday.

Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 – people like Kerry-Lugar Bill – would be signed by the President of the USA before the expiry of the mandatory time for 10 days after being sent to him, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters on his day conference.

The U.S. Congress yesterday issued a “statement of reasons” in an effort to allay the concerns of Pakistan on relief bill that says the legislation is not intended in any way endanger the sovereignty of Islamabad and affect its security interests.

“I think we have until midnight on Friday to do it,” Gibbs said in response to a question. As the President would travel in the next two days in New Orleans and Texas, it is likely that Obama could sign the bill during its journey.

“We could do that,” Gibbs said when asked whether it would be signed at New Orleans.

Meanwhile, visiting Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told a group of Pakistani journalists that the bill would be enacted by Obama on Friday, according to information supplied to him by officials of the Administration.