QUETTA: United States Ambassador to Pakistan Her Excellency Anne W. Patterson has announced that an American consulate would soon be established in Balochistan’s capital city, Quetta, to oversee the development activities carried out by American in Balochistan governments and to bring the people of both the places closer to each other.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, she dispelled the impression often vented by the right-wing political parties that an American consulate in Quetta would be used to to monitor the Iran and Afghanistan, two countries which already have their consulates in Quetta.
“The consulate will be set up to monitor the development activities being carried out by US in Balochistan and ensure the close tie between Baloch people and America. It would also provide visa facility to the people of Balochistan,” she clarified.
Her Excellency Patterson, who was flanked by American Consul General Karachi William Martin, categorically rejected the allegations of former Prime Minister Jamali that recent flood water had been diverted to Naseerabad (Balochistan) to save Shabaz airbase and said, “It is mere fabrication and untrue”.
She said that the US government as well as senior Pakistani officials had already denied such allegations.
She also took an aerial view of flood affected areas in Jafarabad along with the provinicial focal person for flood and relief of Balochistan, Minister Rahila Durrani. She said floods had caused massive devastation in Balochistan and other parts of the country.
US envoy said that US government was the first to respond in connection with flood situation in Pakistan and was the largest donor with 200 $. She said that the donation was being spent through United Nations’ agencies like World Food Program, World Health Organization and UNICEF. “All possible steps should be taken to ensure the transparency in distribution of relief goods and other necessities of life to the flood victims,” she maintained.
She said that 15 US military helicopters were involved in rescue and relief activities to help flood affected people and so far over 10, 000 people had been rescued and brought to safer areas. She said that many C 130 aircraft were moved from Afghanistan in connection with the relief activities and the number of US helicopters and aircrafts would increase in the coming days. She said that Secretary State Clinton also made an appeal to world through special session of General Assembly of UN for the donations.
Dispelling the impression of trust deficit, she said US is already working with different Pakistani government organization and it has also provided one hundred US million dollar for Benazir income support programme and also working in different education and health projects. She clarified that the reason to involve international and local NGOs, small or big, in relief activities in the country was to respond immediately towards flood situation because of their infrastructure and their already involvement with the community
In the meanwhile US Consulate Karachi William Martin said in his brief remarks that the people did not grasp even the size of catastrophe that damaged the basic infra structure. He said that US government was involved in relief activities through PDMA, NDMA and NGOS in the flood affected areas.
http://thebalochhal.com/2010/09/us-ambassador-says-quetta-consulate-not-intended-against-iran-afghanistan/
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