Diplomatic functions: Foreign power brokers’ interactions irk officials
A list compiled by top security agencies contained details of American and British diplomats meeting politicians 70 times between April 12 and June 28 this year, averaging almost a meeting a day. These interactions are exclusive of national days and receptions frequently attended by politicians at diplomatic missions.
Security officials complained that most such interactions go “unreported” in the media and are said to be a cause of friction between the US and Pakistan military.
The list of those having these meetings contain top- and second-tier leaders from almost all mainstream political parties, including the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Jamiat Ulama-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).
PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, his brother Shahbaz Sharif, JUI-F President Maulana Fazlur Rehman, MQM senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar, PPP leader Raza Rabbani, PML-Q supremo Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, his cousin Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Syeda Abida Hussain and her entire family, Information Minister Dr Firdaus Ashiq Awan and Aftab Sherpao are among the politicians who had one-on-one meetings with US diplomats.
Several second-tier leaders from almost all major political parties met in groups with the US and UK diplomats.
The meeting between US Ambassador Cameron Munter and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif in Lahore on May 14 was also attended by a senior CIA official stationed in Pakistan.
Sharif’s spokesman Senator Pervez Rasheed declined to comment.
“Those were private interactions and I have no knowledge of it,” he insisted.
Security operators claim the purpose of such activities was to create “pressure groups of friendly politicians to make or break future governments in Pakistan”.
“It seems as if they were working on long-term plans … and the specific purpose is to make sure that they control the future political dispensation in Pakistan,” an intelligence official said, citing a security assessment.
Politicians who have been frequently ‘brainstorming’ with the Americans accused the diplomats of “trying to influence political thought”.
“They not only tried to influence me but also threw offers to me to work for them … to watch out for their interests,” said Tahir Mashhadi, a senator from the MQM, “but I’m a true patriot. I never (pay) heed to them.”
Knowledgeable officials said security bosses had raised this issue with the Americans during their recent ‘crisis talks’ held to repair ties strained by a secret raid inside Pakistan by US commandos to kill al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in May this year.
“This was always one of the conflicting issues on the table … our side kept on raising it,” disclosed another official.
The document, which was seen by The Express Tribune, disclosed that top leaders from almost all political outfits had been meeting with western diplomats – mostly from the US – frequently, ignoring protocols and established norms by the country’s foreign ministry.
According to rules, all public office holders are supposed to seek prior permission from the foreign ministry for any engagement with foreign diplomats.
“Foreign Office officials should also sit in on those interactions,” commented a former diplomat Tariq Fatemi. “Unfortunately, this SOP is hardly being followed.”
An official from the Foreign Office acknowledged that the “exercise has almost (entirely) been abandoned”.
“I am not sure if the Foreign Office is informed in advance about the meetings you are referring to,” said the official, who requested not to be named.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 18th, 2011.
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They are Mir Jafar & Mir Sadiq and they all should be prosecuted under article 6
ET, surely its a ISI planted story without doubt. My earlier comment has not been posted.
This is our definition of " democracy "....we are a democratic country & as such free to do what we like....??
Not following the protocol of informing the Foreign Office itself raises many questions! Nothing wrong with the western diplomats meetings they are doing their assigned job. It is our so-called politicians who are NOT doing their assigned jobs with conviction, sincerity and honesty, then to top it all, to have one-to-one meetings with an official of CIA sitting smells fishy and sign of desperation.
Purely selfish, shameless and un-prudent politicians, with no exception.
@Mir Balouch: Did you not kidnap the head of UNHCR in Quetta???
Americans need to invest in balochis and balochis will never forget them for their help ever.
Another NRO? Not again
Ultimately our Politicians get refuge in these countries so they are ever ready and available to meet their masters. This is the reason that most are used for the interests of foreign powers. There must be some standard procedure on this grave issue. In majority countries one has to take permission for any engagement with foreign diplomats. Here it is free for all.
Didn't the army say that they wanted the Parliament to provide direction with regards to foreign policy and they would simply implement it?So now why are they complaining when they are left out of the foreign policy making loop? And let us not forget how many meetings the army brass had had with US/UK functionaries. If army meetings do not imply sell-out or corruption, why should meetings with politicians be considered any different? Are we not aware of any top military brass living beyond their known sources of income?
How unfortunate! I don't understand why our politicians need assurance and asheerwaat of Western countries to succeed in Pakistan. This should be discouraged, and can only be discouraged if they are not accepted as deal guarantors in future.
Americans are investing on wrong guys. People will kuck them all out
These meetings should only be allowed after clearance from foreign office and in their presence. Pervez Rashid should know that there are NO PRIVATE INTERACTIONS between foreign diplomats and the political leaders until and unless they are planning something against the country
It does not make any difference as who goes to the diplomatic receptions or who regrets.
There is no harm in meeting with the diplomats of foreign countries on their national days as it provides opportunities to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries in private talks.
Almost all politicians are seen in such diplomatic relations to update foreign diplomats on their individual political party’s policies. These diplomatic functions held on the national days of each country are either held in hotels or at the residences of the Ambassadors or Counsel General’s.
One can see 100% attendance in such diplomatic receptions that are arranged at the residences of foreign Ambassadors and Counsel Generals, as different varieties of alcohol is not allowed to serve in the local hotels.
Any patriot will never reveal any thing to a foreign diplomat, but there are some who may tell the inside stories of their respective departments and party policies just by having a glass of wine.
Cheers!
When those in Power engage in wheeling and dealing all other peripheral players whether Politicians or serving in the Government will be tempted to indulge in the same. You look out for yourself, I take care of myself.
They (US) are your masters and they hold all rights to even micromanage when you start ditching them. Harsh reality my lovely security top brass!
Interesting...it reminds me of a oft quoted saying which goes like '...those living in glass-houses shouldn't throw stones at others'.
Seeing the track record of our security/military officials on this issue I think they are not in an enviable position to criticize the civilian politicians when they themselves have set such an example. In any case civilian politicians meet foreign officials in every country, it is actually interaction of military personnal which is controlled and discouraged. We've never seen/heard of our public office-holders meeting US Centcom chief, or US Chief of Staff, or an Admiral on their trip to US.
All of this simply goes to show how bad things are in Pakistan. It's not the meetings that should bother us, its the reaction to them that ought to be our concern.
Politicians fed on nutritious diet of dollars. Typical Banana Republic.
"According to rules, all public office holders are supposed to seek prior permission from the foreign ministry for any engagement with foreign diplomats.
“Foreign Office officials should also sit in on those interactions,” commented a former diplomat Tariq Fatemi. “Unfortunately, this SOP is hardly being followed.”
It is obvious that all these political parties do not care about the "bad foreign office" of Pakistan. In addition, these leaders bad mouth America in the public and support the rightwing terrorists but in private, they take care of their own personal interests! It is a great benefit of having free press so the people of Pakistan can see who is meeting the foreigners in public and who is making deals in private. It is ironic that the "big bad America" is the lifeline of most politicians and parties. Meeting anybody in public or giving details in public is fine but having private meetings with any foreigners is highly questionable.