Former federal minister Shireen Mazari’s criticism of US Ambassador Donald Blome’s visit to the Torkham border is highly unjustified, uncalled for and against state protocols. To the untrained eye, it would appear as though Mazari has no understanding of foreign affairs. As an excuse for her statements, Mazari brought up the sensitive nature of the border areas, seemingly unaware that the US has the most advanced satellites that enable it to view almost any area around the world with little difficulty. Furthermore, hundreds of examples can be given where an individual ambassador or a group of ambassadors are taken on a tour of the sensitive border areas, allowing Pakistan to show the world the true situation in these regions and thereby ward off any negative propaganda.
The US has been one of the biggest contributors of military and economic aid to Pakistan and, being a former government minister, Mazari’s statements can jeopardize future assistance. Imran should admonish his party leaders to avoid such controversial statements and to settle the PTI’s political scores in a manner that does not jeopardize the national interest.
Mukhtar Ahmed
Karachi