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WASHINGTON: A scathing letter allegedly written by a former Pakistani envoy to the country’s ambassador in Washington comes at a time when the embassy is busy countering a slew of statements, articles and TV talks targeting the country.
“Discrediting [Pakistan’s] Ambassador [to the United States] Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry at a time when he is dealing with a very difficult situation is no service to Pakistan,” said a senior diplomatic observer in Washington. “It will definitely not help promote Pakistan’s cause.”
The scathing letter, allegedly written by Pakistan’s former ambassador to India Abdul Basit, is dated July 5, but surfaced online days after a speech by US President Donald Trump in which he blamed Pakistan for harbouring Afghan militants.
In that Aug 21 speech, President Trump also outlined a new South Asia strategy, which seeks to coerce Pakistan into supporting US goals in Afghanistan. It also envisages greater Indian role in Afghanistan, stoking Pakistan’s worst fears of being sandwiched between two hostile borders.
The speech led to dozens of articles and statements in the US media, criticising Pakistan and blaming it for fanning violence in Afghanistan. The developments pushed the Pakistani embassy in Washington to the front row of Islamabad’s efforts to present a better image of the country before the American public.
“The embassy was already finding it difficult to do so in today’s hostile environment and the letter has further complicated the situation,” the observer added. In the letter, Mr Basit lambasted Mr Chaudhry’s tenure as foreign secretary over a number of policy gaffes made during his time in the office.
“The more I think the more I am convinced that you have been the worst foreign secretary ever,” Mr Basit wrote in the letter, a copy of which has been circulating on social media.
Sources in the Foreign Office confirmed to DawnNews that the letter was authentic. Embassy sources in Washington also confirmed that the letter was genuine, although “allegations are baseless”.
Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2017
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (41) Closed
Aug 30, 2017 08:22am
Well written leter
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Aug 30, 2017 08:23am
Mr Basit's letter was absolutely correct!
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Aug 30, 2017 08:25am
with no full time Foreign Minister, such things are bound to happen
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Aug 30, 2017 08:28am
Truth has to be held up Pakistan foreign office appointments are based upon nepotism
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Aug 30, 2017 08:35am
blow smoke some place else..
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Aug 30, 2017 08:37am
Basit sahib is correct unfortunately
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Aug 30, 2017 08:38am
The ambassador should resign after having failed to accomplish his core task of protecting Pakistan interests. Even the Afghan ambassador was able to humiliate Pakistan while he kept mumbling the press conference. Please send someone more articulate there.
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Aug 30, 2017 08:41am
Exposing realities and competence of appointments for foreign ministers is quite correct. Foreign ministers are the lynchpin to foster and connect countries togsther. An incompetent minister can ruin a country's credibility so easily.
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Aug 30, 2017 08:59am
Ambassador is not there to please Afghan diplomat and USA govt officials. I saw that piece where Afghanistan diplomat was telling USA media about terrorists hideouts in Pak and bunch of other stuff. He was being very vocal while Pak diplomat could not get a word out in response back. I think he was afraid to rock the boat. If Pak diplomats, govt and other institutions keep getting intimidated by USA then we are getting no where.
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Aug 30, 2017 09:06am
It is unfortunate.
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Aug 30, 2017 09:35am
Our foreign policy is in total mess with no full time Foreign Minister with the than PM (MNS) for four years and the reasons best known to only him . We can read between the lines only !
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Aug 30, 2017 09:40am
Our governments do not get affected by such things. once they have selected someone then nothing is wrong or right with that person. They never feel wrong in their decisions whether the whole nation may write letters like this.
And tragically the truth is that the post of an ambassador is only meant to make happy the Lord and not the common people living in the land where Ambassador is appointed.
So far we have not developed a system how to measure people correctly and particularly in case of when any false or true complaint arises.
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Aug 30, 2017 10:01am
Dawn: You are simply recycling the same story - simply changing the wording this time. This is dishonesty to your readers!
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Aug 30, 2017 10:04am
A confidential letter circulating in media ? What service to the nation this disclose has made.This shows for sure the foreign service is full of people who are not sincere to the country.
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Aug 30, 2017 10:07am
Imagine every letter written internally is grilled in this way. That letter was written internally and the only pwrson who can judge is someone inside not us. Media should be careful.
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Aug 30, 2017 10:08am
If the letter is genuine, then considering it was written by a diplomat, it was a hugely undiplomatic way to convey his thoughts on the matter. You question Mr. Basit's professional skills. Far from doing a service to the country, he has managed to bring a great deal of ridicule on to its image, whatever is left of it
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Aug 30, 2017 10:20am
Mr Basit, is a competent person. He knows the right words and stage to address issues. He should be given the opportunity to lead to take up issues on US relations at present.
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Aug 30, 2017 10:26am
Abdul Basit is right, why is our 'ambassador' to US silent?, why has he not been in the loop over all the recent tirade from US?.
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Aug 30, 2017 10:30am
Personal ego's and over ambition on the part of Mr. Basit. He probably keeping eye on the job of Foreign Minister. Low level of politics.
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Aug 30, 2017 10:35am
well done Basit.After damaging relations with India, you are doing it with US
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Aug 30, 2017 10:36am
No amount of good marketing can sell a bad product.... Just saying
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Aug 30, 2017 10:55am
I wont be surprised if Basit says "I didn't write this letter, it is fake. It is a conspiracy to defame Pakistan"
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Aug 30, 2017 11:01am
I think a lobby protecting accused Ambassador is curtailing the much needed investigation of the charges against accused Ambassador. These will no harm if these charges should be probe on merit so that if any harm might come should stopped.
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Aug 30, 2017 11:06am
Abdul basit,s letter based on facts..people know
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Aug 30, 2017 11:47am
"Sources in the Foreign Office confirmed to DawnNews that the letter was authentic. Embassy sources in Washington also confirmed that the letter was genuine, although “allegations are baseless”."
Ambassador Abdul Basit is a genuine diplomat, and his letter is based on genuine facts!
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Aug 30, 2017 12:08pm
The letter was written on 05 July 2017, much before the speech of Mr Trump and had been reported on social media and newspapers, including Dawn. It is wrong to connect it to the current situation for ulterior motives.
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Aug 30, 2017 12:45pm
@tariq Yes , the words in the letter are in the right order and so it is well written indeed. If the words are shuffled it will cease to be a well written letter. The author obviously took a lot of care to place all the words in the correct order . We have to congratulate him for accomplishing this feat
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Aug 30, 2017 12:48pm
there was no need of it..to write such a letter to u r own colleague, when u have so many other channels to let him know what u really feel about him...unless u want to show it to the the world to disgrace him.. not a good Idea Basit..
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Aug 30, 2017 12:50pm
but making money using official position is not discredit to the country at any time
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Aug 30, 2017 12:58pm
It is alright to call a spade a spade and a thug a thug. Our embassy's difficulties in countering the adverse propaganda in Washington right now goes to prove the basic fact that the team there the whole lot is incompetent captained by this corrupt real estate dealer from Islamabad. He along with Fatimi must be questioned for organising donation campaign,begging, for their wives' NGO, going from one foreign mission to other based in Pakistan.
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Aug 30, 2017 01:06pm
Poor comments for a fellow member and damaging the country's reputation in this critical hour of need.
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Aug 30, 2017 01:13pm
Well if you wash your dirty laundry in public it will be a very entertaining show for others. This is exactly what it is. Basit should have refrained from a public letter. On the other hand I always find Pakistan bureaucracy very immature and inexperienced and incapable. So not much of a surprise it played out like this. Pakistan needs to build its institutions and improve the crop of government servants.
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Aug 30, 2017 01:27pm
This isa exactly what Basit's letter said i.e. Aizaz being in US will make life difficult for Pakistan's cause
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Aug 30, 2017 01:44pm
Basit's letter could have been either for his l sincere concerns for the greater interests of Pakistan or due to conflict of interest for the top job in the foreign office or both. The leakage of an internal official document is disturbing and it point out towards the incompetence of the relevant responsible officials in the foreign office. The department should conduct its own inquiry to reprimand those responsible for the leakage. However, I do not agree with YS diplomat opinion. This letter would exert pressure on Aizaz while giving him an opportunity to prove his abilities.
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Aug 30, 2017 02:03pm
Well, Mr. Basit did not cover himself with glory in his India stint. Are there any particular achievements, he can talk about? The way I see it is he is trying to get the cushy US posting and trying to shamelessly sell himself with the support of Media publicity. Clever but not clever enough.
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Aug 30, 2017 02:05pm
@Addy exactly my point. He is projecting himself for the role of the Incumbent. But please take a minute and ask what has Mr. Basit achieved in his last posting? anything to show for?
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Aug 30, 2017 02:14pm
What Basit did is appalling. Backstabbing a colleague on account of his unsatiated personal ambition. His views should be discarded with contempt. His chapter is closed.
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Aug 30, 2017 03:20pm
The effects of not honouring a civilian government. Until there are two poles of power in this country, these symptoms will continue to show up.
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Aug 31, 2017 12:12am
Abdul Basit has proved that he has no qualities or class to play a responsible role. His letter has damaged the reputation of Pakistan more than Chaudhry. Now realizing his mistake he is playing Kashmir card that he complicated during his tenure as ambassador to India.
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Aug 31, 2017 03:10pm
Public protests like "not in my name" will force the Govt to stop fanning violence in another country. Changing diplomats will not serve the purpose. Such a letter should not have been written in the first place. He could have phoned his colleague and informed on what could be improved. Leakage of the letter brings out contradictions in open but then they existed and hindered team work
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Aug 31, 2017 03:15pm
It is another excuse made by Mr.Chaudhary as he is unable to grip the situation.
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