ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf USA chapter’s campaign to invite Washington into Islamabad’s internal affairs and sponsor a bill linking Washington’s military aid to Islamabad to the human rights situation has all the ingredients to become PTI’s ‘memogate’. It is not yet confirmed whether or not these moves of the PTI activists in the US have the consent of Imran Khan, but inviting Washington to interfere in Pakistan’s internal affairs and targeting the US military aid to Pakistan by linking it with the human rights situation here may become a charge-sheet against the party.
In 2011-12, the then PPP government was seriously haunted by ‘memogate’ after the revelation of a memo, delivered to the US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen by Husain Haqqani, seeking help for the civilian government against the military because of domestic turmoil, triggered by the US raid that had killed al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden.
Haqqani though had denied anything to do with the memo, in 2012 a judicial commission, headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, had found him (Haqqani) guilty of authoring the controversial memo and added that the former US envoy “was not loyal to the country”. On Sunday, Sajjad Burki, who claims to be the focal person for the USA to PTI Chairman Imran Khan and ex-president of PTI USA, tweeted, “Thanks Tariq Majeed for hosting Congressman Greg Casar. He pledged his support for democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Pakistan. He is co-sponsoring a bill to tie military aid to human rights conditions in a country.”
The tweet also contains a video statement of the US Congressman and the requests made to him by Sajjad Burki and another person. According to the media reports, PTI’s focal person in the US, Sajjad Burki, and party member Atif Khan met Congressman Greg Casar and requested him to do his part in bringing a resolution against the human rights violations in Pakistan.
While asking Casar’s support for the resolution, Burki said that 86 members of the US Congress had signed PTI’s petition so they want him (Greg Casar) to become part of it as well. “You should be able to count on me to be somebody who is asking questions about how the US could be supporting democracy and human rights in Pakistan and other places,” the Congressman said in response. Following May-9 attacks on military installations, buildings, symbols, etc., by the PTI protesters, the Pakistani-American Political Action Committee (PAKPAC) campaign led to more than 60 US congressmen approaching US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to pressurise the Pakistani government to improve the human rights situation in the country.
The committee has commended the 65 Members of the Congress, who are signatories to a letter written to Secretary Blinken, urging him to prioritise the promotion and protection of democracy and human rights in Pakistan.
According to the ‘Dawn’ report, the committee though says it’s only trying to strengthen democracy in Pakistan and does not support or oppose any political party or group, the PTI leader, Shahbaz Gill, did address PAC’s annual dinner recently and solicited support for “those striving to maintain constitutional democracy” in Pakistan. Gill also visited some US lawmakers with the PAC team and explained to them the current political situation in Pakistan. “Some PAC members, including a past president, however, objected to his (Gill’s) inclusion in the team.
A fortnight back, an audio clip allegedly capturing a Zoom meeting between Imran Khan and US Congresswoman Maxine Moore Waters also surfaced on social media. Contrary to his public posturing against the US and against American interference in Pakistani affairs, Khan was heard making behind-the-scenes efforts to repair ties with Washington. He emphasised that Pakistan was currently facing an immensely challenging situation, describing it as the most difficult period in the nation’s history. As the discussion continued, Imran Khan, in his customary fashion, shifted the blame for the attack on the military establishment and intelligence agencies. He claimed that these institutions wielded significant power within Pakistan. Khan appealed to Congresswoman Waters to support him and raise her voice in his favour.
