Appearing from Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad & Quetta

Tuesday, October 20, 2009, Shawwal 30, 1430

KLB takes critical turn

Ashraf Ansari

Islamabad—The debate on the controversial John Kerry-Lugar Bill has taken a new critical turn after lawyer Ahmad Raza Kasuri revealed in a private television talk show that son of the foreign minister is on staff of Senator John Kerry in Washington, working as Legislative Fellow. Foreign Minister’s son Mr. Zain H. Qureshi’s assignment is clearly linked with John Kerry’s legislature work. Against this backdrop, foreign minister’s vociferous defence of John Kerry-Lugar Bill tends to lose all lustre.

Political observers in the federal capital point out that the foreign minister might have been aware of the John Kerry-Lugar Bill’s formative stages through Mr. Zain H Qureshi. If that was the case the analysts have reason to ask as to what was the rationale of foreign minister’s rushing to Washington to seek “ clarification” or in-depth briefing from the horse’s mouth. If all this was Act One of a melodrama, Act Two was rushing back to Islamabad with John Kerry’s assurance. Based on that was foreign minister’s rhetorical statement in the parliament.

The analysts say, supporters of the Bill are trying to weave a tale which at best can be termed as cow-and-bull story. They point to the posture of our ‘His Excellency’ in Washington, our ambassador Hussain Haqqani who sounds more like John Kerry’s spokesman than Pakistan’s envoy.

Whatever the shades and shadows, the debate over the John Kerry-Lugar Bill will enter decisive phase very soon with foreign ministry cutting a sorry figure with embarrassment writ large on the faces of those trying to defend the Bill in the forefront”, one analyst observed.
 

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