The US ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter has said that Pak-Iran gas pipeline is not a good idea and it is good to get the gas from Turkmenistan that is three times the distance of Iran. He is nobody to make such statement.
If he has any reservations, the case could be moved through diplomatic channels as per practice in vogue. An ambassador is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign government to serve as the official representative of his country. Under no circumstances can he interfere in the internal affairs of the country of his placement, neither can he indulge in local politics.
Unfortunately, the Pakistan government has allowed a free hand to the US ambassador to meddle in our affairs. Munter is talking too much. Munter is travelling too much. Why? Ministry of Foreign Affairs should have taken notice of his frequent travels in different cities of Pakistan and making political statements. It is for us to decide what is good or bad for us, we cannot give license to outsiders to interfere in our internal matters and give us dictation. Keeping in view his activities and frequent statements about Pakistan, it appears that he is working on some agenda.
In view of prevailing circumstances and volatile situation of the country, the government should immediately impose restrictions on his movement within Pakistan and should not allow him to speak on country’s politics. We have over 132 embassies and consulates in Pakistan and have seldom seen ambassadors from these countries visiting different cities of Pakistan or making political statements. Why make an exception?
MUKHTAR AHMED
Karachi