Pakistan is seeking firm guarantees from European states, where some Baloch insurgent leaders have found sanctuary or have applied for political asylum, that their territories would not be used to stoke unrest in Balochistan, an official said on Friday.
The move came a month after a resolution was introduced in the US Congress seeking sovereignty for Balochistan.
“Our mission in Geneva is active and will ensure that the issue is not portrayed in a manner that some detractors of Pakistan are trying to do,” Foreign Office spokesperson Abdul Basit told a weekly news briefing on Friday.
“We have conveyed our concerns to the relevant governments on these issues, and have been assured that their respective territories would not be used for anti-Pakistan activities,” he said. “Last week, we relayed our concerns to the Swiss embassy.”
Brahamdagh Bugti, chief of the Baloch Republican Party, has applied for political asylum in Switzerland, while Nawabzada Hyrbyair Marri, whose Baloch Liberation Army is blamed for most of the violence in Balochistan, has been granted asylum in the United Kingdom.
Earlier this month, the government withdrew ‘political cases’ against the two separatist leaders. The overture, however, was rejected by the two men, who resolved to continue the fight.
The spokesperson said Pakistan’s diplomatic missions abroad were engaged to ensure that this issue was not exploited against national interests. “The Pakistan government has been trying to handle the situation politically. This is an internal matter. We will deal with it in our own constitutional and political way,” he added.
Asked whether the US was going to open a consulate in Balochistan, Basit said, “The United States had made the request years ago, but no decision has yet been made by the government.”
To a question whether Pakistan has decided to go ahead with a new approach towards India, which includes freezing of the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesman reiterated that “the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is about the people of Kashmir; it is about their right to self-determination. There is, therefore, no question of freezing this matter or putting this core dispute on the backburner.”
He said Pakistan was taking steps to normalise relations with India, but reaching the final decision would inevitably depend upon the realisation of the aspirations of Kashmiris.
When quizzed on allegations made by Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina Wajid that her rival Khaleda Zia had received money from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) during the 1990s elections, Basit refused to comment, saying that it was their internal matter. “So it is better not to comment on that,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2012.
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@Elie Khan:
And where do the do that might I ask?
@usman786: You speak as though you're certain but your words reflect hallucinations. They don't mix well. It makes people laugh at you.
John what about terrorism and the dictatorship, and the killings the So-called civilsed world has done, the US is the sponsor of terrorism on the globe, not pakistan..
Once again PAK wants it both ways.........
Why would ISI support Khaleda Zia, can anybody explain??
Pakistan doomed to be divided into four countries if it hangs on Kashmir issue. We cannot even tolerate other sects on our own soil. Balochis want Punjabis out while Sindhis want Balochis out. Meanwhile Sunnis are systematically eliminating other sects. In between there are laws and jirgas to kill on the pretext of blasphemy, honour, love marriage, conversions. With all these diseases, Pakistan is surviving on borrowed life supports.
“the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is about the people of Kashmir; it is about their right to self-determination. There is, therefore, no question of freezing this matter or putting this core dispute on the backburner.” - Jammu and Kashmir is a core issue but Baluchistan, Terrorism, OBL, Sectarianism, shambled economy, Hyperrelgiosity, unnecessary nuclear stockpile and Corruption is not!!!!! Good going!!
So the Pakistani version of the story is Indian actions must be scrutinized in their own territory, but not Pakistani actions in theirs. What hypocrites!
Extradite the traitors with help of interpol and punish them
As always paradoxical statements from Pakistan and they do not carry any meaning.
Everyone in the world has also been asking PAK not to let their assets use the PAK territory to carry out anti- global jihad but PAK does not seem to care.
When will PAK guarantee these requests?
" The Jammu and Kashmir dispute is about the people of Kashmir; it is about their right to self-determination," Foreign Office spokesperson Abdul Basit. Keep trying!!! You did it 65 years, successfully got your country reduced into half, are already half successful into converting it into one fourth and yet not learnt a dime!!!! Keep trying....
That's rich ---- as I recall Afghanistan, USA, India and NATO have all made similar request to Pakistan and have been turned down cold.