Obama likely to sign Kerry-Lugar bill tomorrow

US President Barack Obama is most likely to sign the bill for providing USD 7.5 billion aid to Pakistan into law tomorrow.

Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 -– popular as Kerry-Lugar Bill -– would be signed by the US President before the expiry of the mandatory 10 days time after it being sent to him, White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters during his daily press briefing.

The US Congress yesterday issued an "explanatory statement" in an effort to placate the concerns of Pakistan on the aid bill which says that the legislation does not seek in any way to compromise Islamabad's sovereignty and impinge on its security interests.

"I think we have until midnight on Friday to do so," Gibbs said in response to a question. As the President would be travelling over the next two days to New Orleans and Texas, it is likely that Obama could sign the bill during his travel.

"We could do that," Gibbs said when asked if it would be signed in New Orleans.
Meanwhile, visiting Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told a group of Pakistani journalists that the bill would be signed into law by Obama on Friday, as per the information conveyed to him by the Administration officials.