Pakistan should stop persecuting and killing Baloch people: Bob Lancia

Bob Lancia, an American politician affiliated with the Republican Party from his Twitter handle account issued a statement on 1 June regarding his view on the persecution of Baloch by the government of Pakistan.

He said “Similar to the killings and persecution of Christian, Hindu, and Sikh religious minorities taking place in Pakistan even today, and similar to genocide in Bangladesh in 1971 and genocide in Kashmir in 1990,

Baloch Leader: Trump Speaks A Language Pakistan Can Understand

Hyrbyair Marri, the fifth son of Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, a former national leader and head of one of the largest Baloch tribes in Pakistan, was elected in 1996 to the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan and appointed minister but was later forced to flee Pakistan for Great Britain. Accused of leading the Balochistan Liberation Army — which he denies — Marri was charged and later acquitted of terrorism charges in the U.K. Today, he helms the Free Balochistan Movement, a pro-freedom political party.

By Karlos Zurutuza

OZY sat down with Marri to discuss Pakistani and world politics. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

American-Baluch Council’s letter to the Honorable Congressman Rohrabacher supporting Baluchi-program by VOA

The Honorable Congressman Dana Rohrabacher                              July 23, 2018

The United States Congress

Washington, DC

Re: A Baluch-Program by VOA

Dear Honorable Congressman Rohrabacher:

I have the honor to present this letter to thank you for your championship of liberty and to ask for your support for a Baluch-language program by VOA. Such a program will: definitely attract millions of Baluch viewers; improve the US image among Baluch by promoting American values such as democracy, rule of law, and human rights; counter the hateful propaganda of religious extremists in Baluchistan; counter the ongoing campaign by Iran and Pakistan (the main sources of Shiite and Sunni terrorism respectively) to Talibanize the Baluch population; and serve the overall US strategic interests in the region. In addition, VOA already broadcasts in all other languages spoken in Iran (Persian, Kurdish, Azari, Arabic). Therefore, a Baluchi program will also fill a very important gap in VOA coverage.

Meet the Mullahs: Pakistan’s Neighborhood Islamist Evangelists in Balochistan

Mulla Ghulam Ullah, Mufti Shamir Aziz Bizenjo, and Khatib Mohammad Ilyas

Mufti Shahmir Aziz Bizenjo receives support from the Pakistani intelligence, military assistance from the Pakistani Army Frontier Corps and financial support from the drug mafia

Lawrence Sellin

Few appreciate the depth and destructive consequences of Pakistan’s decades-long program to “Islamize” every aspect of the society in every remote corner of the country.

Pakistan’s “Islamization” program was initiated by President Zia-ul-Haq (1977-1988), which involved the proliferation of Islamic schools “madrasas” and the promotion of Islamic law “Sharia,” was specifically designed create unity by suppressing ethnic separatism and make Pakistan the global Sunni leader, an effort that eventually led to the proliferation of Islamic terrorist groups within its borders.

Trump must get tough with Pakistan

Future financial aid should depend on genuine opposition to terrorists

By Fulvio Martusciello

President-elect Donald Trump made headlines after Pakistani officials released details of his phone call with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. While the reported kind words exchanged could be interpreted as the beginning of a renewed friendship between the two countries, Islamabad’s thirst for headlines alone have made this less likely. More importantly, in the past Mr. Trump has stressed the security challenges associated with Pakistan and its potential global reach.

Eliminate Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistan to win Afghan war: US official

A former vice chief of the army John M Keane said no insurgency has ever been defeated while it maintains sanctuary outside the conflict area.

By: PTI | Washington | December 7, 2016

A former US Army official has said that to win the war against Taliban in Afghanistan, it is essential to destroy their safe havens in Pakistan, alleging that Pak military provides intelligence, training and logistics assistance to them.

“What’s required is a new strategy with a commitment to force the elimination of sanctuaries in Pakistan,” General (rtd) John M Keane, a former vice chief of the army and chairman of the Institute for the Study of War, told members of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday during a Congressional hearing on worldwide threats.

Not a single dollar to Pakistan until action against Haqqani: US Congressman Ted Poe

Washington, D.C.: Pakistan does not deserve a single dollar of American tax payers’ money, if it is unable to take action against the dreaded Haqqani network, a leading US Congressman has said. “The Haqqani Network has killed more Americans in Afghanistan than any other terrorist group, but the government of Pakistan has done little to go after it, despite taking some USD 33 billion of United States’ money since 9/11,” Congressman Ted Poe, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Chairman, said in a statement.

“My bipartisan amendment limits foreign aid to Pakistan until the Administration certifies that Pakistan has shown progress in arresting and prosecuting Haqqani Network senior leaders and mid-level operatives,” he said.

Act against terrorists, otherwise we’ll act alone: US warn Pakistan

PTI | Oct 23, 2016, WASHINGTON: In a blunt message, the US has warned Pakistan that it will not hesitate to act alone, when necessary, to disrupt and destroy terror networks as the country’s powerful spy agency ISI was not acting against all terror groups operating on its soil.

“The problem is that there are forces within the Pakistani government — specifically in Pakistan’s Inter- Services Intelligence or ISI — that refuse to take similar steps against all the terrorist groups active in Pakistan, tolerating some groups — or even worse,” Adam Szubin, Acting Under Secretary on Countering the Financing of Terrorism, told a Washington audience.

U.S. lawmaker accuses Pakistan of ruling through jihadist extremism

PTI | Washington DC | Sept 25, 2016: Alleging that Pakistan is using jihadist extremism to administer and is bent upon extinguishing other cultures in the country, a top U.S. lawmaker has warned Islamabad that it might be headed for 1971 like partition soon if it continues to do so.

“Those who think that they can keep Pakistan together by attacking and extinguishing other cultures with jihadist extremism should go visit Dhaka,” Congressman Brad Sherman, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Asia and the Pacific said at an event on Sunday.

US lawmakers move bill to designate Pakistan as a terrorist state

Chidanand Rajghatta | TNN | Sep 21, 2016 : WASHINGTON: Two American lawmakers on Tuesday introduced legislation in the aimed at designating Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism in a humiliating setback to Islamabad ahead of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s speech before the UN General Assembly.

The bill, HR 6069 or the Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation Act, enjoins the US administration to make a formal call on the matter within four months of its passage.