ISLAMABAD:
The US administration may have expressed helplessness regarding the hearings and resolutions that have suddenly cropped up on Balochistan in Washington – but Pakistan isn’t buying it.
For the second time in a week, the foreign office summoned the acting US ambassador to record Pakistan’s “strong protest” over a resolution recently tabled in the US House of Representatives backing Balochistan’s right to self-determination.
“Ambassador Richard Hoagland was told in clear terms that the move in the US Congress was contrary to the spirit of friendly relations and violative of the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law and recognised norms of inter-state conduct,” said a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Monday.
He was asked to convey the grave concerns of the Pakistani government to the US administration, the statement added.
The US Charge d’ Affaires was also called to the Foreign Office last Monday after a US Congressional Committee conducted a hearing on the law and order situation of the province that has gained limelight in Washington – and resultantly caused a sense of urgency in Pakistan – as of late, .
This time, Hoagland was summoned to lodge a formal protest over the resolution introduced by the Sub-Committee on Oversight and Investigations of the US House of Foreign Affairs Committee Chairperson Dana Rohrabacher in favour of the “right to self-determination for the Baloch people, for being victims of human rights violations and oppression despite being the largest province.”
However, the US administration distanced itself from the move, assuring once again that it respects the territorial integrity of Pakistan.
According to the US Embassy statement, “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 statement said that the State Department does not typically comment on pending legislation, but it is not the policy of the administration to support independence for Balochistan.
Provincial opposition
Meanwhile, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly could not move a resolution against the US for its interference in Pakistan, when almost all members of the coalition government, even after supporting the proposed resolution, made a safe escape and left the assembly hall during tea break.
The resolution condemning the US bill stated: “This assembly condemns the US resolution for a separate Balochistan. It was against international law and has challenged our sovereignty. It was an attack on our integrity and was a conspiracy against an important ally in the war against terror.”
On the other hand, MPAs in Punjab also handed in their resolutions to the Punjab Assembly secretariat against the US resolution.
(Read: Rohrabacher’s Pressler moment)
(With additional reporting from our correspondents in Peshawar and Lahore)
Published in The Express Tribune, February 21st, 2012.
COMMENTS (15)
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@Tony C.:
The US and the world does not like rogue nations like PAK and North Korea having nuclear weapons. It has nothing to do with PAK being a muslim country.
@pakistanibaloch: Good luck.
@MarkH: Dear MarkH, This appears to be a typical softening up tactic by the Americans. The U.S. over the last ten years has been picking off the various Muslim countries one by one. That is Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and now they are working on how Syria and Iran can be taken. The U.S. have made it quite clear that they are not happy with Pakistan, and it is my view that they would love to see Pakistan fragmented into small pieces. America just does not like the concept of a Muslim country having nuclear weapons. Additionally, if they support Balochistan and independence comes to pass, with U.S. dollars being freely handed around, America could be given a free hand, with large military bases being allowed to be established close to the Iranian South-East border. This way a two way military pincer movement becomes a possibility to control Iran and Pakistan from the Persian Gulf to India. These are just a few of the possibilities probably floating around in Washington and Tel Aviv, but their could be more. However, I think it is safe to say this may well be part of a U.S. step-by-step plan for their Imperial desire to have full spectrum domination, whilst pretending to be the good guys. They did not even have to think it up. It is just an extension of the British Imperial Plan, which has been delayed somewhat, and they are obviously in it together. Think about it.
@Andrew: Go ahead. No state has ever tried to separate itself or even said it in an emotionally charged state. It'd be hilarious. Few countries are like Pakistan when it comes to dysfunction. What applies to you and your problems do not apply to a great deal of others. ...Seriously though. Do it. It turning into a running joke and its use in a new set of jokes towards Pakistan will be fun.
I've said it in more words before but I'll say it again with less. A great deal of things get talked about. That's how they're accepted and rejected. Yes, one person bringing it up will trigger debate. You can't muzzle a concern. It first forms from an opinion, not a policy. Talking about it will either make something happen or completely bury it. But it will be talked about. Your reaction is just so impossible to respect and take seriously. It's like a bunch of hypocritical cry babies.
Should our senate Take-up similar motion to Free some Americans and then world will see Democracy in action...!
looking at Pakistan objectively, the religious terror organizations, no hope for the poor, the corruption, the disregard for law, the collapse of society. I can only come to one conclusion. Pakistan is an evil country.
something really wrong with pakistanis whatever whenever anything comes from US it gets an importance, but if people of the land cry for basic human rights nobody listens to them. what a hypocrisy?
@S Khan: w will not forget kashmir too .. once america goes we and MUJHHEDDEN .TALIBAN and every one will repeat the fight.....
Forget kashmir, save balochistan ..
Looks like 1971 history is repeating itself. Instead of India now it's US.
@Cautious: I think Sherry Rehman gave out a strong statement on the issue the very next day while addressing a group of influentials in US. As to your first point on Obama vs. House of representatives, contrary to the popular perception, controls in sophisticated power structures such as US are exercised indirectly so that there is no smoking gun.
PAK does not seem to get it. You want to hit a reset button on relations with the US.....Guess what the US can do the same..... Hope the tea was good.
This is not a strong protest. A strong protest would have been "You are hereby asked to leave the country within the next 2 days". Now that is what I call a strong protest. Everyone knows what these current protests mean. Under the table they are all good friends. These so-called protests are just to shut the public up.
More pandering to the public knowing that Obama has no ability to control what happens in the US House of Representatives. Your Ambassador should have been out front on this issue and lobbying -- but she remains in her office and probably hasn't even met any of the players yet -- one of the downsides when you appoint Ambassadors who don't know anyone.