WASHINGTON DC: December 7, 2010. (PCP) The American Friends of Balochistan Monday urged the U.S. government to hold direct talks with the major Baloch stakeholders in Balochistan rather than the Pakistan military and infamous I.S.I.
Addressing an emergency Press briefing here at Reeves Center in the wake of the latest WikiLeaks reports , founder of the American Friends of Balochistan Ahmar Mustikhan deplored that Pakistan army chief still enjoys a celebrity status in the eyes of U.S. senators and also among key U.S. security managers.
"This does not augur well for the U.S. long-term interests as the Pakistan army wants to destroy the international power and prestige of the U.S.," Mustikhan warned.
The A.F.B. founder asked the U.S. to involve the main Baloch stakeholders in Balochistan including the independence leaders Hyrbyair Marri, Brahumdagh Bugti and Dr. Allah Nazar Baloch; Balochistan National Front; Balochistan National Party; Khan of Kalat Suleman Daud; and the National Party of Dr. Malik Baloch, among others, in any talks related to the future of Balochistan.
The A.F.B. founder demanded of the U.S. to immediately cut off any aid to Pakistan under the Kerry-Lugar Bill until such time Pakistan military stops its policy of extra judicial killings, enforced disappearances and torture in Balochistan.
Mustikhan called upon the Obama administration to stop all relationships under the Patrick Leahy Amendment with the I.S.I., Military Intelligence and Frontier Corps for worst human rights violations in Balochistan.
The Patrick Leahy amendment forbids the U.S. administration to do any kind of business with sections of a country's military that violate human rights.
"The U.S. must review its Afpak Policy and broaden the scope of International Security Assistance Force (I.S.A.F.) activities to include Balochistan and ask Pakistan to withdraw its troops and Frontier Corps from Balochistan in deference to the wishes of the people of Balochistan," Mustikhan urged.
The A.F.B. also asked the U.S. may to establish its consulate in Balochistan without further delay and requested of the .U.S. State Department to launch the Voice of America Balochi service.
The A.F.B. urged the U.S. to help simplify the procedures for Baloch fleeing Pakistan and Iran and who want to seek refuge in the West.
The latest WikiLeaks reports have revealed an extremely dangerous trend in U.S. foreign policy: the State Department is relying solely on Pakistan military and the infamous inter-Services intelligence when it comes to U.S. foreign policy pertaining to Balochistan, in stead of involving the genuine leadership of Balochistan.
According to learned Americans, their government had in the past made a similar mistake in case of Georgia when it put all its eggs in one basket.
"Many U.S. policymakers know the I.S.I. is bent upon defeating the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. President Joe Biden, who in his own right is a Pakistan expert, knows this very well," Mustikhan said.
Before becoming vice president, Biden was the chair of the senate foreign relations committee for many years.
Texas-sized Balochistan is extremely important in geo-strategic terms as it forms the northern lip of the Straits of Hormuz. Balochistan is an island of secularism in a sea of religious extremism..
"The main reason we are here today is the very dangerous policy of appeasement being carried out by the U.S. administration with regards to Pakistan military and infamous Inter-Services Intelligence as bared by the latest revelations [in WikiLeaks," Mustikhan said.
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