The disclosure

The disclosure

Dr. Jassim Taqui

Another mess has been created by the authorities when Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani announced a boycott of the UN-sponsored International Parliamentary Union (IPU) being held in New York next week. The step was taken after the US refused to issue a visa to Deputy Chairman Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, who was supposed to represent Pakistan at the forum.

The chairman has also directed that no Senate delegation will visit the US “unless an explanation for the delay in issuance of visa” to his deputy is given by the US government or the US embassy in Pakistan.

Rabbani, otherwise a brilliant parliamentarian and outspoken critics of PML-N made a mistake by conducting foreign policy in the media and by not coordinating with the Foreign Office. Thus contributing to the setback in Pak-US relation. This is painful given the fact that Pakistan is trying hard to be closer to the new and unpredictable President Donald Trump.

As usual, the authorities tried to give a misleading reason of rejecting entrance of Maulana Haideri to the United States. They claimed that Haideri denied visa because he and his JUI (F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman were critics of the US policies in the Senate and the National Assembly respectively.

Far from that, the move was taken due to the proclaimed connection of JUI with the Islamic militant groups including Taliban. Additionally, there are other reasons, which are which are carefully guarded by the CIA office of the US Embassy. Some “ disclosure” of these secrets were leaked by the former US Ambassador Anne Patterson(courtesy Wikileaks). The ruling regime, which has made an alliance with the JUI(f) in the National Assembly is keeping mum and refuses to speak about “the disclosure.”