WORLD IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Panel Votes to Let Pakistan Get Arms

A congressional panel agreed provisionally to a one-time waiver of a law against military sales to Pakistan to allow the country to take delivery of millions of dollars worth of U.S. equipment. A House-Senate conference committee accepted as part of a foreign aid bill pending before the panel a plan to resolve a longstanding dispute with Pakistan. It involves shipments of more than $1.4 billion worth of arms. Pakistan purchased the items in 1990 but was barred by law from taking delivery until it could be certified that the country was not seeking nuclear weapons. The certification has not been made, but President Clinton appealed to Congress for the waiver on grounds that it was unfair to hold up both the arms shipments and refuse to return the funds.