Well done, Raza Rabbani (II)

Letter February 14, 2017
Was the visa refused because of Maulana Haideri being the secretary general of the JUI-F?

RAWALPINDI: Senate Deputy Chairman Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, who was to represent Pakistan at the UN-sponsored International Parliamentary Union being held in New York next week will not be able to do so as the US has failed to issue a visa to him. Though the maulana was not expected to contribute much on an issue entitled, “World of blue: preserving the oceans, safeguarding the planet, ensuring human well-being in the context of the 2030 agenda,” nor would he be any conspicuous by his absence there in a galaxy of hundreds of delegates from all over the world, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani’s orders to boycott the New York moot and not entertain any American diplomats in the Senate is highly commendable. Well done, Sir.

Was the visa refused because of Maulana Haideri being the secretary general of the JUI (F), which the US considers to be a fundamentalist party or for some other reason? The US certainly owes the Pakistani government an explanation.

Col Riaz Jafri (retd) 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2017.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.