U.S. Senate approves compromise bill on Pakistan aid

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved compromise legislation to triple non-military aid to Pakistan to about $1.5 billion a year for each of the next five years as part of a plan to fight extremism with economic development.

The bill, approved on a voice vote, had been agreed upon between the Senate and House sponsors of legislation passed separately by each chamber earlier this year. The sponsors are Senators John Kerry and Richard Lugar and Representative Howard Berman.

The measure also had the "full support" of key members of the Obama administration, Senate aides said. It was expected to come before the House of Representatives soon.

The aid, which will have to be approved by congressional appropriators each year from 2010 to 2014, is aimed at a wide range of development efforts, from funding Pakistani schools to the judicial system and law enforcement agencies.

While not stipulating any dollar amounts of military aid, the legislation sets out conditions for the assistance. They include Pakistan's cooperation with dismantling nuclear supplier networks and with combating terrorist groups, a Senate summary of the bill said.

Another condition is to require that the security forces of Pakistan do not subvert judicial processes, the summary said.

The aim of the legislation is to promote stability in a country that is fighting against Islamic militancy and has been key to the U.S. war in neighboring Afghanistan. Many al Qaeda and Taliban members fled to Northwestern Pakistan after U.S.-led soldiers ousted Afghanistan's Taliban government in 2001.

The United States and Afghanistan have pressed Pakistan to eliminate the militants' sanctuaries, and the United States has carried out air strikes on the sanctuaries by pilotless drones that are deeply unpopular in Pakistan.

The Senate action came as key donors to Pakistan were meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly at a "Friends of Pakistan" meeting in New York.

(Editing by Sandra Maler and Bill Trott)