The significance of Ted Poe’s bill against Pakistan

By Borodiin Baloch

In September 2016 Congressman Ted Poe, who is the chairman of the house subcommittee on terrorism, argued that Pakistan has repeatedly breached trust and sponsored terrorist activities. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher of the Democratic also voiced his support for Mr Poe’s bill tabled against Pakistan. This was the first bill moved in the US senate during Barack Obama’s presidency but unfortunate happened as criticism within senate was echoed against the bill and ultimately it was vetoed. Hence, Pakistan gain more time and space to continue its terrorism in Afghanistan, Balochistan, India and rest of South Asia.

The history in US politics particularly her relation with Pakistan and frequent complains within Afghanistan’s most responsible positions and elected representatives former president Karzai and now Ashraf Ghani, coupled with Balochistan’s most influential leader and the head of Free Balochistan Movement Mr Hyrbyair Marri, Indian and Bangladeshi Prime Ministers Mr Modi and Sheikh Hasina Wajid, once again prompted the US congressmen tabled the previous bill against Pakistan as “PAKISTAN STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM ACT OF 2017”.  Despite, the complains of Afghanistan, Balochistan, Bangladesh and India, the US and Western nations, on the basis of ground realities, are coming to the conclusion that Pakistan is not their friend and it has been betraying them for too long to be ignored and pardoned.

In the 2017 Bill Ted Poe said, “It is time we stopped paying Pakistan for its betrayal and designate it for what it is; a state sponsor of terrorism. Not only is Pakistan an untrustworthy ally, Islamabad has also aided and abetted enemies of the US for years.”

He further argued, “From harbouring Osama bin laden to its cozy relationship with the Haqqani network, there is more than enough evidence to determine whose side Pakistan is on in the war on terror. And it’s not America.”

The clock of US history on that negligible time brought back her to move the same bill in US senate once again, again by Ted Poe but before new US president Mr Donald Trump, who is going to determine in next 90 days the US relation with Pakistan. The amendments made in the new bill are nothing, but increase in terror attacks on Afghan army, NATO, and Pakistan’s support to terrorism.

Since rejection of first bill to the moving of second bill, Pakistan’s policy of supporting terrorism within the region has intensified because still Haqqani Network, Jama’at Ul Dawa and Quetta Shora active and in creating terror under the patronage of notorious ISI. Moreover, in order to reduce US pressure in particular with President Trump, Pakistan has managed to lure China and partnered it in it conduct of criminal activities. Concurrently, many among the world and within the US are blaming USA for her policies in the region and hold harsh approach regarding Pak-US relationship.  The US experts and lawmakers have now really started to take notice of the other side of the picture that Pakistan has cleverly concealed for year. “They (Pakistani) are making chumps out of us. They see us we are being so stupid. It seems like paying the mafia,” said Congressman Matt Salmon, the chairman of the Asia and pacific subcommittee of House foreign Affairs Committee.

“If I may use an undiplomatic term. We have been patsies,” said former Bush era top Diplomat Zalmay Khalidzad.

In the history of America, politicians and lawmakers had not lambasted and abashed themselves and their political system so mush, as they did in past few years just because of the duplicity and betrayal of Pakistan to America in the name of war on terror. This is evident from the fact that after rendering the first bill as outdated by Obama administration in 2016, Pakistan has gained more courage to use its terror outfits against US and neighbouring countries. On September 5/6 Kabul attacks occurred in which 40 people were killed, on October 2/3 Taliban attacked Kunduz city, likewise on October 4, a US soldier was killed in a bomb blast at Nangarhar province of Afghanistan so on and so forth. The year 2016 was catastrophic Afghan citizens the US army personnel in Afghanistan.

The United Nations documented 8,397 civilian casualties as of September 30, the document held Taliban and other insurgents responsible for 61 percent of attacks. On august 24, insurgents attacked the American university of Afghanistan in Kabul, killing 14 students and lecturers. On September 12, Taliban fighters dressed as doctors attacked the Mirwais hospital in Kandhar city. On January 10, 2017, United Arab Emirates diplomatic mission was targeted, where at least 64-88 people were killed, moreover the National Assembly of Afghanistan was attacked by the Taliban on the passing year where several were killed and injured.

Besides, Pakistan’s rampant in killing of Baloch nation in Balochistan, which is claimed by the world that Pakistan is using American military logistics and heavy weapons on Baloch people in occupied Balochistan, without discriminating among children and women, just to commit a genocide of Baloch nation and sabotage their demand for restoration of an independent Balochistan. In several separate or joint statement with Afghan authorities and prominent lawmaker and Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Baloch leader Mr Hyrbyair Marri, categorically stated that Pakistan is using US military weapons against Baloch nation rather than in war on terror.

It seems that USA has been repeating it mistakes and creating a gap for Pakistan to revisit her policies on war on terror, but the US policy is witnessed sporadically as she is putting cart before the horse, because in every time period Pakistan is intensifying its terror outfits to disturb the regional peace and harmony. Pakistan will never lose her grip on religious fanatics because the survival of the ideology of Pakistan as an Islamic state depends thugs and goons.

Once again American politics and her conclusive approach towards war on terror rests on the significance of Ted Poe’s bills against Pakistan. The first was pushed to wall because of illogical reasons despite a sound debate on that, and now the second is waiting for President Trump’s decision. It this bill is passed and Pakistan is declared as ‘untrustworthy ally’ and ‘terrorist sponsoring state’ than its mean America has learned from the past. However,  if the same happened with second bill as it happened during Obama administration, then history at one point might ask America that how she would compensate the people of Afghanistan, Balochistan and the families of loved ones of the American soldiers killed by religious extremists who have the support and backing of Pakistan army and intelligence agencies. So far the US politics in South Asia has remained Pakistan oriented only, US poured dollars and weapons piggy pot of Pakistan army and in return Pakistan has played havoc in the region.

The noteworthy political manoeuvring in the region is that, Pakistan is emerging as an anti-American state thereby inviting China in Gwadar (Balochistan) to sabotage US efforts in South China Sea by creating Sino-America rift in Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. In return China continuous to back Pakistan at United Nations and Vito any efforts to bring Pakistan based terrorists to justice.  Hence, Ted Poe’s latest Bill is of vital importance and needs unanimous backing of US representatives against Pakistan to stop the religious madness in the region and Pakistan’s international blackmailing tactics in the name of war on terror.