HYDERABAD – Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdullah Hussain Haroon Friday saidthe United States’ stance over Pakistan was not acceptable for promotingreciprocal bilateral relationship.
Talking to the media here, Haroon underscored the need of formulatingPakistan’s foreign policy anew so that the country could set its prioritiesitself.
“We sacrificed our 2 to 3 generations in the United States led wars but weare being meted out such unfair treatment,” he said.He accused the US and the West for throwing Pakistan in the quagmire ofterrorism by making it a front line state earlier in their proxy waragainst the Soviet Union and later in the US led invasion of Afghanistan.
Haroon said that following the 1980s insurrection in Afghanistan, the USSRdismembered and Pakistan became an enemy of Russia. “But then the Westsuddenly withdrew its support for Pakistan,” he said.
He observed that over a period of 7 years the US released around $7 billionto Pakistan under the coalition support fund for its Afghan mission. Incontrast, he added, the US had set aside $9 billion for India for thedefence purchases.“We are being ignored. America’s such attitude is hurtingthe bilateral relation,” he underlined.The FM said Pakistan could not accept the blame game which had beenunleashed under the FATF.
He said the devaluation of Pakistani Rupee against the US Dollar causedfinancial losses to Pakistan in the international market while alsoweakening the country’s economy.The situation needs immediate resolution,” he emphasized, adding thatPakistan ought to correct its strategy and that the time had come for abefitting response.
“We need to keep in sight what the US did to Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan andother countries. And we also need to increase the number of our friendlycountries,” he stressed.
Haroon predicted that the in the aftermath of the 2018 general electionsPakistan’s political problems appear set to increase instead of decreasing.
“Our politicians are not sincere when it comes to dealing with suchsensitive issues. They are rather more interested in protecting theirassets in the foreign countries,” he deplored.Haroon said the politicians would have to sensitize themselves for thecountry’s stability and that of democracy as well. – APP