Pakistanis Skeptical About A New US Embassy
By Benjamin Joffe-Walt
August 13, 2009
WASHINGTON, DC—The Pakistani government is suspicious of a nearly one billion dollar U.S. plan to expand the American embassy in Islamabad, a senior Pakistani official told The Media Line.
Following reports earlier this week that the scheduled $945.2 million expansion of the U.S. embassy in Islamabad was to include the deployment of up to 1,000 U.S. Marines to the Pakistani capital, a highly-placed official in the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said the government is increasingly skeptical of the U.S. plan and intends to raise the issue with Richard Holbrooke, U.S. President Barack Obama’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“Of course we would not be open to that number of Marines and the government is trying to find out what’s going on,” the Pakistani official, who asked not to be identified, told The Media Line. “The excuse that the U.S. is giving is that this expansion has been necessitated by the proposed assistance package.“
“It’s micromanagement of Pakistan’s affairs and the issue will certainly be discussed with Holbrooke,” the official said. “There should be accountability as far as the expansion is concerned and they will have to take Pakistan into their confidence regarding their expansion plans.“
Abdul Basit, the official spokesperson for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, was reported last week as stating that the U.S. expansion plans included the deployment of hundreds of U.S. Marines and armored personnel carriers, presumably to protect the massive compound upon its completion. The U.S. embassy denied the reports on Wednesday while Mr Basit claimed he had been misquoted.
“One newspaper misquoted me out of context,” Basit told The Media Line. “I did not say anything to this effect and there is no controversy.“
“The U.S. has decided to expand their mission here and we hope to receive a request from them,” he said. “They have to observe local municipal laws and all new personnel will need to be approved with visas.”
True or not, the statements have led to wide speculation in Pakistan as to the nature of the $945.2 million expansion plans.
“Obviously there is a cover-up,” Ahmed Quraishi, Director of the strategic analysis think tank Project Pakistan 21, told The Media Line. “You do not acquire acres and acres of urban land, spend $1 billion and start building hangers just to renovate an old building or expand office space. There is obviously something else going on.“
“What we have on our hands is the construction of a U.S. base with a heavy CIA and Pentagon presence under the guise of a U.S. embassy,” warned Quraishi, comparing the proposed renovation to the extensive U.S. embassy compounds in Kabul and Baghdad. “The current government is in power thanks to Washington so we don’t expect our government to oppose a U.S. plan.“
“Obviously the U.S. embassy is very concerned about all these reports,” he added. “We suspect our government has given the approval to expand the embassy and to invite a large number of Marines, but now they are embarrassed by the growing negative reaction and trying to hide it.”
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The U.S. maintains the embassy expansion has been made necessary by growing American assistance to Pakistan. U.S. officials claim to have received approval for the renovation of the embassy but reject reports that any more than a couple dozen U.S. Marines will be deployed to the Pakistani capital.
A recently updated U.S. Congressional Research Service tabulation cited U.S. aid to Pakistan at $15.4 billion between 2002 and 2009, with an additional $3.6 billion requested for 2010. The figures, which include military training, equipment and civilian aid, have been widely disputed in Pakistan.
“These are just speculations,” the senior foreign ministry official told The Media Line. “It is basically the Coalition Support Fund’s reimbursement to Pakistan.”
“We have actually been given $3.5 billion over the last five years in actual civilian assistance, about $700 million a year,” the official said. “As for the Coalition Support Fund, we have actually received about $6 billion out of the $9.5 billion in claims we have made.”
Many Pakistanis resent American aid claims, arguing the country has lost much more than it has gained through its support for the American military campaign in neighboring Afghanistan.
“Our government is so weak and so afraid of standing up to the U.S. that they don’t even want to rebut this with their version of the figures,” Quraishi said. “Reimbursement is not aid, and more than half of this supposed aid was reimbursement for expenses that Pakistan incurred hosting American soldiers going to Afghanistan.”
“According to the Finance Ministry, we lost tens of billions of dollars since 2001 in lost opportunities and lost investment because we joined America’s ‘War on Terror’ in Afghanistan,” he added. “So even if we accept the U.S. version of the aid they have given, it’s peanuts compared to what we lost for supporting America’s occupation of Afghanistan.”
Skepticism and resentment towards the growing U.S. presence in Pakistan is nothing new. A Gallup poll released Sunday found that 59 percent of Pakistanis view the U.S. as a greater threat to Pakistan than India or the Taliban. The sentiment, which crossed the lines of gender, age, language and political affiliation, reflects deep suspicions of the U.S. amongst Pakistani citizens, many of whom view the United States’ role in Afghanistan as the root of the unrest in Pakistan’s tribal areas.
The poll, conducted late July with more than 2,500 Pakistanis in both rural and urban areas, found that only 41 percent of the country approved of the Pakistani government’s military operations against the Taliban and only nine percent supported U.S. strikes against the Taliban in Pakistan. 11 percent of Pakistanis viewed the Taliban as the greatest threat facing the country, while 18% named longtime rival India.
Previously added articles on this topic at Haqeeqat.Org:
pakistan, capital, islamabad, usa, us, america, embassy, pakistani, spektical, about, new embassy, consulate, pakistani foreign ministry, foreign office, abdul basit, benjamin joffe walt, washington dc, the-media-line, billion-dollar, architecture, thousand, us-marine, residence, ghq, general headquarter, richard holbrooke, ahmad quraishi, ahmed quraishi, project pakistan 21
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ERA OF SUO MOTOS – My retired father was a civilian in a Military Department. Once he told us that during 40s, 50s and 60s arrival of a Signal (a sort of telegram used in military organizations) right form bottom to top created an earthquake like situation in the whole Department. The Head of the concerned Department would become restless and activity of the whole Department would then be concentrated only relating the issue of said signal to ensure response to the signal same day within hours.
Today is season of suo moto actions. Even many of the housewives today know what a suo moto is. Education Board wrongly declares a third position holder the suo moto notice is there. Sugar hoarding fetches suo moto notice. Mill owners pressure on provincial government fetches suo moto notice. Non recovering of a girls gets suto moto action as if the earlier famous missing persons suot moto case has fully been completed and all missing recovered. LHC takes suo moto notice on wardens’ suspension. Black coats and ties are removed under suo moto notice innocently forgetting that this is what those who had been opposing directly or indirectly reinstatement of the deposed judiciary now under a deep new but with very tactful strategy are marching to get their same old goals under which an IG Police today looks towards the judiciary to take suo moto note rather than taking himself action prescribed under police law against those who beat SHO. Some individuals eg Nawaz Sharif etc surely have got relief as a consequence of rebirth of the judiciary but what the common man practically and collectively has far got in any shape of this rebirth? LHC is fixing sugar price at Rs. 40/-. When it will surely not be available to the common man what would be his psyche to his dreams about suo motos?
Is anyone afraid of from such such suo moto actions or from the so much talked out that the new born judiciary. A PIA fight mid air comes back as a lady (must be from an elite not from your’s or mine family) forgot her hand bag having Rs. 18,000/- at Islamabad airport lounge – on how much fuel cost, plus other overheads including inconvenience to the other passengers? A train at Chiniot railways station remained 25 minutes hauled up allegedly because just an ordinary police constable had forgotten his mobile in his home and his son was bringing it.
Only yesterday I was reading a very meaningful article that all corrupts in ruling class or the opposition and their outside collaborators are one hand in protecting the corrupt. The article was on the topic of new in pipeline a NAB bill/law which is nothing but to protect the person who dismissed the judiciary to thank him for protecting the ones under NRO. Likewise all those are unanimous hand in glove that respect of judiciary be tarnished from the eyes of the public through one way or the other. When there would be rush of suo motos but nothing practically coming as true material real relief it can well be understood what would soon be the psych reaction of the masses. It should not be forgotten that March 2007–March 2009 was only the special occasion when public came out without caring police of harsh climate. Whole night village people stayed on road to watch the caravan. This will not happen again even if, just suppose for a while, the “famous” marine for instant in Islamabad takes over the SC building. The sugar price increased from Rs. 1.25 per kg to Rs. 1.50 when people from Laluoo Khiat came out in streets starting a campaign against Ayub Khan. The same people today are silent spectators on sugar price reaching at Rs. 60/- even on its disappearance during Holy Ramadhan.
It is time that our new born judiciary takes very little suo moto notes but with same vigor and deliver as it did before its new birth like in case of Steel Mills, New Murree City where people saw the national assets practically being protected. Every week saying national money will not be allowed to be looted is of no significance today as if one door of looting is closed the new one is designed, The only suo moto which are of dire collective national interest needs to be taken but then seriously with full judicial might. For example so far no suo moto has been heard about an embassy constructing an armored like castle in the capital just at the doors of Khauta. Incidents of misbehaviour of the occupants with the civilians of said embassy have already come in the press. If the level of friendship is the criteria of size of an embassy, then the biggest US embassy should be in Israel and vice versa the friendship in which case is ever lasting whereas in case of Pakistan it depends only on “do more” and can come to zero level any time. How this extension or construction of embassy is dangerous has marvelous been explained in a letter from one Shakil Ahmed from Australia appearing on 25 August 2009. If the country, meaning real Pakistan not merely the “land” did not remain what worth would be the reborn judiciary? Only today’s newspaper carries that a Pakistani citizen was roughed up at Aabpara allegedly by US “citizens” and 3-4 US citizens were arrested for carrying allegedly illegal guns. Were they actually arrested? Has our police courage to keep them? If suo moto notice is to be taken then now needs a real suo moto notice that why the honest consumers should bear the continuous increasing tariff in the light of recently KESC’s admission that elite were stealing its electricity.
First complete those suo moto notices due to which this ill fated but generally lethargic nation recognizing its civic duty shouldered with the judiciary March 2007-2009. The top priority after rebirth was rightly expected on missing persons case which has become silent. The original born SC took suo moto note of the National Bank of Pakistan President taking Rs. 5 crore award. The Chief Justice’s remarks as appeared then in press as well as in foreign press as a press clipping still are with me. The process haulteded due to judiciary going home. Now it has come back but nothing appears to has been heard about removal of dust from the said file rather the nation the day learnt through the National Assembly proceeding that the said person was continuously getting Rs. 24.5 per annum award, which in other words means that no body was afraid of that SC had taken a suo moto note on the subject.
Express News, September 03, 2009: Auria Jaan Maqbool writes the following:
YAAR MERI TO SUB PAKISTANION SE AIK HI APEEL HAI KE JAGO MERE BHAIYO YE WAQT IS BAAT KO AI KAAN SE SUN KER DOOSRE KAAN SE NIKAL NE KA NAHI HAI TO BAHIYO JAGO SAAZISH GEHRI HAI>>>>GOVERNMENT GHATYA HAI AUR MEDIA BIK GYA HAI>>>TO AAP TO NAHI BIKAY NA AUR NAA MEIN BIKA HUN TO AWAAZ NIKALNI HOGI MEIN NIKLAUN GA APP BHI NIKALO AWAAZ KE HUM ZINDA QOM HAIN.
PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!
Nahi bhai jago nahi bas ab dobara so jao. Agle election per uthein ge aur phir zardari ko vote de ker so jayein ge.
@ kaneez fatima aap logon mein mayusi mat phelao app youn apna hi nuksaan kar rahi hain
Jis mulk ka Sader Dakoo ho wahan awam ka ker sakti hay
Jahan per logo ko AAta Chini or Petrol may Phansa ker mulk ko Becha ja raha ho or bechnay wala hi hamara Sader ho (Dakoo)to wahan ki awam kia ker sakti hay .lakin ager jis din ye Kom bedar ho gai to ye Black or White Water walay kahan jain gay pata bhee nahee chalay ga.INSHALLAH
Humari mushkill ye hy..ky sher aya sher aya…ettni dafa ho chuka hy..ky aab haqeeqatan sher aagaya hey..or quom so rahi hy…yeh youn hi soti rahy gi..keon ky…ess ky muqadar bhi aab so rahy hein…jagny wala tabqa..ahista..ahista..war against terror ki nazar ho gya…yeh mulvi..wesy hi khatum ho jany chahien..islam ka beraghraq kar diya enhon nein…wo mary etney marey key aksar ki nimaze jinaza bhi nahein hoi…lashein hi nahein milin…
han hum sab musalman hein..lekin islam chahtein hein..labnan wala..dubai wala..islam hona chahey…turky wala..ya phir urdan wala..azadi honi chahey…lumbi raat lumbi baat honi chahey…
kasam hey us pak zatt ki jo “wahdaou la shareek hey”….
Hum nein munafiqat kaa garhaa khoda…ab khud uss mein..dabny ja rahey hein…
Omer..tum nein haq adda keya sach ko phelany ka…jazak Allah..
Abb himmat karo..or dekho..key kess ummat mein munafiqat ka ziker milta hey..?
yeh sirf hum hein jo munafiqat ky darjat per faiz hoey hein..
jan lo ky munafqat ki koie bakhshish nahein hy…
sirf..ekk rasta hy…
KY HUM SUB..APPNY EMMAN KI TAJJDEED KAREIN..ALLAH SY USS KI KITAB QURAN FURQAN SY RUJJO KAREIN…..EMMAN KI SALAMTI MANGEIN..OR KUFFER KY KHELAF DATT JAEIN….
ALLAH HO AKBAR..
SALAM HEY ESS UMMAT KY UN SAPOOTON PER JO JIHAD BILQALAM..KAR RAHEY HEIN…UN MAON PER JO SHER PEDA KARTI HEIN..OR JAB WO KAFAN MEIN LEPTY AATY HEIN TO ALLAH KA SHUKER ADDA KARTI HEIN…OR DUA KARTI HEIN..KY AGGAR OR HOTY TO AY RABB TERI RAH MEIN DY DYTI…
YEH MAEIN NA COLLEGON MEIN PARHI NAA UNIVERSITION MEIN…NAA NET PER BETHI NAA..MOBILE SY KHELIEN…
NAA AAB WO MAEIN HEIN ..OR NAA HI SHER…
JAG JA MERI QOUM….AAB JAG JAA…
WAQT KA INTIZAR MUTT KAR…AGY BHRR..OR WAQT KO AAPNY HATH MEIN LY LY…ZAMAN KHUD HI BADAL JAIY GA….
NASURM MINAL LAHY WA FATHON QAREEB…..