In a recent interaction with US Ambassador Cameron Munter, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leadership advised US policymakers not to play favourites among local politicians for bringing in regimes of their own choice, as this policy had backfired in the recent past and had earned a bad name for the US among Pakistanis at large.
A source told Pakistan Today that PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed and Senior Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi conveyed their reservations to Munter, who had called on the PML-Q leadership last Monday.
“The PML-Q leaders told Munter that the US must shun the policy of playing favourites in Pakistani politics and should not support covertly or overtly any political party as was done by US interlocutors for clinching a deal between former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf and PPP’s slain chairperson Benazir Bhutto in 2007, as admitted by the former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice in her recent book,” the source said. Former US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice in her memoirs “No Higher Honor” has given full account on how she toiled for many sleepless nights to have a power-sharing deal clinched between Musharraf and Benazir in 2007. The source said PML-Q Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed, citing Rice’s book, asked Munter to use his influence as diplomat to change the US policy of playing favourites in Pakistan. “In response, Munter told the PML-Q leadership that the US had already changed its policy and was not supporting any particular political party in the country,” the source added. Asked to comment why did the PML-Q think the US was playing favourites in Pakistan, a PML-Q leader said, “We told him we think they are promoting Imran Khan in Pakistan nowadays. Frequent meeting of US diplomats and their appreciation of Imran and his political party (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf) compelled us to lodge our protest.”
The source further quoted the PML-Q leaders as telling Munter that US plans of imposing sanctions on US aid to Pakistan due to ongoing standoff between two countries developed after NATO attacks would be “counter productive”.
Don’t play favourites, PML-Q advises US
