Washington: A top American lawmaker has
underlined the need for the US to support the cause of
independent Balochistan in a bid to combat Taliban and
al Qaeda terrorists.
"Perhaps it is time to recognize an independent
Balochistan, where we`d have a friend who would not keep
supplying the enemy of America, those people train and prepare
for 9/11 to kill as many thousands of Americans as they
could," said Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert.
"We don`t want to leave Afghanistan in the hands of the
Taliban and all of the American life and treasure be for
nothing. But there is an easy answer," Gohmert said in his
remarks on the floor of the US House of Representatives.
"We leave, but we empower the enemy of our enemy, the
Northern Alliance and the Baluch people. Let them take care of
their own area. Let them prevent the Taliban from taking over.
Let them prevent Pakistan from becoming such a focused enemy
as they have unabated. Let them worry," he said.
Gohmert is one of the two Co-sponsors of the
Congressional resolution in the House of Representatives
introduced by the Congressman Dana Rohrabacher.
The non-binding resolution calls for self-determination
in Balochistan.
The resolution, so far has failed to garner additional
support from the lawmakers, but experts note that it has added
to the strain in US-Pak relationship.
Pakistan has strongly objected to such a resolution and
has termed it as interference in the internal affairs of the
country.
The US government has said that it respects the
territorial integrity of Pakistan, but has expressed concern
over the human rights violations in Balochistan.
In his remarks, Gohmert said that after Partition of
India, the arbitrary lines that were drawn put Balochistan
into Pakistan.
"This used to be a Baluch area. As a recent Pakistan
Daily News editorial pointed out, most of Pakistan`s natural
resources come from this area," the lawmaker said.
He said he has been told that the Taliban getting their
support from southern Pakistan and are coming through the
Baluch area.
He said the Baloch don`t want that as they "want to be
our friends". Blaming Islamabad, he said the Baloch "have been
terrorized by the Pakistani Government for decades".
PTI
