Source: The Hindu
Pakistan on Saturday reacted sharply to a resolution
introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by three members
asserting Balochistan's right to self-determination. Across the
political spectrum, there was consensus that this amounted to an attack
on Pakistan's sovereignty which could impact U.S.-Pakistan relations.
Interacting
with mediapersons in Karachi, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani
described the resolution introduced by Republican Congressman Dana
Rohrabacher as an attack on Pakistan's sovereignty. Earlier this week,
Pakistan had reacted equally sharply over the exclusive hearing held by
the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Oversight and
Investigations on human rights violations in Balochistan. This
sub-committee is also chaired by Mr. Rohrabacher.
In
the official formulation of Pakistan's reaction — put out by the
Foreign Office — Minister Hina Rabbani Khar took “strong exception'' and
said it was against the very fundamentals of long-standing
Pakistan-U.S. relations. Maintaining that it was an isolated move, she
said the “draft resolution'' is contrary to the principles of the U.N.
Charter and international law. Ms. Khar described the resolution as an
unfriendly and irresponsible attempt by a few individuals to create
distrust and hoped that this “latest tendentious move'' will not be
allowed to sail through the House by a vast majority of U.S.
Congressmen
who continued to support friendly bilateral relations. Referring to the
unanimous resolution adopted by the National Assembly this week
condemning the Congressional hearing , she said that clearly represented
the legitimate reaction of the Pakistani people.
Pakistan's embassy in Washington rejected “this ill-informed move and
the Congressman's misplaced concern on Balochistan which is part of the
Pakistani Federation''. Pointing out that the province has a directly
elected provincial assembly of its own and has due representation in the
National Assembly and Senate of Pakistan, the embassy said the
resolution seeks to cast doubt on the territorial integrity of a member
of the United Nations and a friend of the U.S., and is totally
unacceptable.
“Balochistan's affairs and issues are
an internal matter of Pakistan and it is for the people of Pakistan and
our democratic institutions to address these. We would advise those
behind this resolution to reserve their concern and solicitude for
problems closer to home. Needless to say provocations such as these will
seriously impact the Pakistan-US relations. We value this relationship,
but not at the cost of our dignity, sovereignty and territorial
integrity,'' said the statement even as the U.S. embassy in Islamabad
distanced itself from the resolution saying the American administration
had nothing to do with it.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rohrabacher
was being hailed on social networking sites for raising the issue and
“his incredible support'' for the Baloch nationalism. In turn, the
Congressional hearing and resolution have generated considerable debate
within Pakistan on Balochistan, an issue that is seldom discussed in the
mainstream media.
