US lawmakers want Pak designated as state sponsor of terror
threat to US national security. The threepage letter contains proof showing Khan’s links with terrorist groups, including Pakistan intelligence agency, the Inter-services Intelligences (ISI).
Earlier on 27 January, Parry had sent a letter to the Biden Administration requesting the President to reject Khan’s diplomatic credentials “in light of Khan’s perverse attachment to Islamic terrorism”.
Last year on 29 September, a group of 29 high-profile US Senators had moved a bill in the US Senate seeking imposition of sanctions on the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan. The bill titled “Afghanistan Counterterrorism, Oversight, and Accountability Act”, also called for, “Identification of areas where the United States Government can strengthen diplomatic, economic, and defense cooperation with the Government of India, as appropriate, to address economic and security challenges posed by the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and the Taliban in the region, and an assessment of how the changes to India’s security
environment resulting from the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan will affect United States engagement with India.”
The lawmakers also called for an assessment of support that was given by Pakistan to the Taliban. “An assessment of support by state and nonstate actors, including the Government of Pakistan, for the Taliban between 2001 and 2020, including the provision of sanctuary space, financial support, intelligence support, logistics and medical support, training, equipping, and tactical, operational, or strategic direction.”
And—“an assessment of support by state and nonstate actors, including the Government of Pakistan, for the 2021 offensive of the Taliban that toppled the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, including the provision of sanctuary space, financial support, intelligence support, logistics and medical support, training, equipping, and tactical, operational, or strategic direction.”
And—“an assessment of support by state and nonstate actors, including the Government of Pakistan, for the September 2021 offensive of the Taliban against the Panjshir Valley and the Afghan resistance.”
It is pertinent to mention that the Imran Khan government, ever since coming to power in August 2018, has engaged at least five lobbying firms in the United States to create a positive and a favourable image of his government and country among the people who matter. Apart from these five Us-based companies lobbying for Pakistan, five other limited liability companies of Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) are also registered in the US to lobby for Pakistan with US policymakers.