Pakistan daily opposes US presence in Balochistan

Islamabad, Aug 7, IRNA – Pakistan news daily on Saturday described as alarming the statement of American Ambassador Cameron Munter that the Balochistan province was very important for the US.

‘The Nation’ in its editorial comments said that, “Envoy Munter’s remark about the significance of Balochistan to the US and the offer of help for its uplift that would entail the presence of Americans on the projects for which it would be utilised, have caused great alarm among the people, who are already concerned at the dirty role the US agents or the CIA’s contractors are playing in the province”.

The newspaper said there are also worrying reports that US ambassador has not been only meeting leaders of different political parties, but also the nationalist groups.

“This also poses a serious question about the circumstances under which the authorities, to be exact the security agencies and the Foreign Ministry, gave him the permission to have meetings with the outlawed, separatists forces”, said ‘the Nation’.

The newspaper said one can well understand why in the eyes of the US, Balochistan holds significance.

“With the Chief Minister clearly denying the presence of the so-called Quetta Shura, Mulla Omar and Ayman al-Zawahiri in the province, the US should cease to have any interest there in the context of the war on terror”, it said.

“The fact is that it wants its agents on the ground to foment trouble in our neighbours and friends Iran and China as well as in Balochistan itself”, said the editorial.

“That would enable them also to exercise its influence in running the affairs of the province, more particularly with regard to the strategically important Gwadar Port”, it said.

“We have had enough of the US help and cooperation; there is plenty of evidence spread over 63 years of Pakistan’s existence to establish how harmful it has been. We need no more of it. The Americans had better leave us alone now”, said ‘The Nation’./end