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.
