As tensions rise between Pakistan and United States over a resolution introduced in the American Congress seeking a sovereign country for the Baloch people, a five-member Congressional delegation from Washington is arriving this week to discuss the resumption of NATO supplies and other conflicting matters with Pakistani leaders, who will use the opportunity to convey a plain and clear message to the US that meddling in Balochistan will harm bilateral ties.
The US Congressional delegation, to be led by Representative David Dreier (Republican from California), who is also the chairman of the House Rules Committee, is arriving on February 24 and his visit is very significant as it is the first of its kind after months of tensions between Islamabad and Washington that erupted in November last year when NATO attacked two Pakistani border posts and killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
The delegation will meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and other senior Pakistani officials.
“As it is a Congressional delegation, it will provide the Pakistani leadership a good opportunity to convey to them clearly that Washington’s interference will not be tolerated in a Pakistani province and it will further harm the already strained ties,” said a Pakistani official on Sunday, requesting anonymity.
Introduced by California Republican Dana Rohrabacher and co-sponsored by two other Republican Congressmen Louie Gohmert (Texas) and Steve King (Iowa), the US House of Representatives Concurrent Resolution says that the Balochi nation has a “historic right to self-determination”.
Stating that Balochistan was currently divided between Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan with no sovereign rights of its own, the resolution alleges that in Pakistan especially, the Balochi people are being subjected to violence and extrajudicial killing and, therefore, the Balochi people should have the right to self-determination and to their own sovereign country and they should be afforded the opportunity to choose their own status.
The resolution has led to deep anguish and anger in Pakistan, both among policy makers and citizens, with some seeing it in the context of a ‘new great game’ in the region, fearing it was all about the conspiracy that is on for the so-called ‘Greater Balochistan’. “Yes some serious concerns are prevailing among policy makers in Islamabad and if they don’t necessarily believe in theories like ‘Greater Balochistan’, they still hold the view that the US has started twisting Pakistan’s arm,” said the diplomat.
“It is believed by some that all this on part of the US is in response to Islamabad’s decision to move further closer to its time-tested friend China after the covert US raid in Abbottabad last year in May that killed al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and NATO’s Salala airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers,” he said.
He said the US Congressional delegation would be told to refrain from indulging in Pakistan’s internal matters, as it could be also harmful for counter-terrorism cooperation between Islamabad and Washington. The US delegation, he said, would also discuss with Pakistan other important matters such as the restoration of blocked NATO supplies to Afghanistan through Pakistani soil, drone strikes, presence of US military trainers and the almost suspended supply of Coalition Support Fund (CSF) to Islamabad.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has already condemned the US resolution as a move to undermine the country’s sovereignty and the Foreign Office and Pakistani embassy in Washington also took strong exception to it, saying it was against the very fundamentals of US-Pakistan relations.
A US embassy’s statement on Sunday said, “The United States respects the territorial integrity of Pakistan. Members of Congress introduce legislation on numerous foreign affairs topics and these bills do not in any way imply US government endorsement of any particular policy.” “The Department of State does not typically comment on pending legislation, but it is not the policy of the administration to support independence for Balochistan,” it said.
Another Pakistani official who spoke on condition of anonymity said that after registering a strong protest with the US, the government had decided to go for a diplomatic initiative to inform important world capitals and friendly states about Pakistan’s position on the resolution introduced in US Congress over Balochistan.
He said Pakistani diplomatic missions in various countries had been asked to contact the respective governments and give them detailed presentations on Pakistan’s position on the resolution and its ramifications.
Best way for the Americans to understand the message is to REFUSE them entry into Pakistan.
No meetings with America. No supplies for America. Shut down OVERFLIGHT rights now.
You seem to have no idea about possible consequences.
The US can really make you eat grass!
… the US should properly clear up and report back due ompliance to Pakistan before any further normalisation of counter-terror cooperation / NATO support …
Hhahhaahahhah Poor Pakistanis .. Dont even think twice before opening their mouths.. all you have is just some nuisance value for this world and you guys have already encashed it….Balochustan must be a free country… released from the grip of cunning and violent Punjabis..
We will free kashmir first!
then why don't go and free Kashmir if Kashmir can be free then why not Balochistan?? but remember Punjab and army never let Kashmir be free if Kashmir will be free then how can Punjabi establishment and Army get money to fight with India??
why cant americans mind their own business rather than poking their nose in other countries matter…americans have already got many problems lined up in their end , till now they havent done any progress in their war against afganistan , and they call themselve the Super power …balochistan should be a part of pakistan , rather forming it to a soverigen country , it should be reform into a recognised part of pakistan and give them rights and freedom…
why don't you say to our father Pakistani to not poke US when ur ass aching.from Ayub khan to Benezir Bhtoo and Mushrif every body enjoy the friendship and money of Pakistan even Gen. Zia cultivated Islam in Pakistan from US dollers, could you remember?? from 1950 till today even your salaries are coming from US.
What America and NATO now doing to Pakistan has been the basis of US foreign policy and its State Department for decades..the policy of "divide and conquer", funding and arming opposing sides to cause civil war, chaos and bloodshed and thus weaken and break down a country for geopolitical control of the region and control of resources. Any cooperation with US/NATO would be suicide for Pakistan.
America can not do anything.
America is a BANKRUPT country that is operating thousands of miles away from its supplies.
America is a like a toothless old woman.
Shut It Down.
The Americans in Afghanistan are like Custer at Little Big Horn – SURROUNDED with No Way Out.
ROTF LMAO.
Mr Fatah, he is miles away BANKRUPT still he used his drone to attack inside your country but being a local and having an atomic bomb you could not do anything! and still you need Huge amount of USD from This BANKRUPT country what a shame!
Mr Shaheed. The US is bankrupt, owes China over a trillion dollars, has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the "civilized west", and is getting their behinds kicked in Afghanistan and already did in Iraq. They cannot mess with Pak because we have nukes so they try to cause trouble in Balochistan instead. LOLS.. Get your facts straight. hahahaa. The drones are allowed only because of this corrupt, sold govt. And their time is over soon.
USA should NT poke in pak internal probs becos they can not interfere in a country which is independent. What they are doing is totally against united nations charter of democracy.
But it sHows clearly that they are after brake the country. They ain’t gonna get anything out of this lol.
Ladies and gents we have to Waite till China becomes bit more stronger
To balance the power on the world.
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