US lawmaker accuses Pakistan of ruling through jihadist extremism

Alleging that Pakistan is using jihadist extremism to administer and is bent upon extinguishing other cultures in the country, a top US lawmaker has warned Islamabad that it might be headed for 1971 like partition soon if it continues to do so.

"Those who think that they can keep Pakistan together by attacking and extinguishing other cultures with jihadist extremism should go visit Dhaka," Congressman Brad Sherman, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Asia and the Pacific said at an event yesterday.

In his address to the Sindhi Foundation, he said the successive Pakistani governments, in particular the current one, has systematically tried to attack the rich cultural heritage of Sindhi. Sherman was felicitated by the Washington-based Sindhi Foundation for his efforts in protecting Sindhi language and people.

It is using government machinery to "extinguish" the rich Sindhi language and culture, the Congressman said. "If Islamabad thinks that the way to establish and retain its territorial integrity by slowly or quickly trying to extinguish the cultures of the nations that Pakistan has unified together, well they should look at Bangladesh," Sherman said.

President of Karachi-based Sindh United Party Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah claimed that religious extremism prevails today in Pakistan because of its "two-nation theory".

"When it is being claimed by the State that it is Muslim state and the rule of Islam is the fundamental instrument of the state affairs than the peace and harmony in the region will be always under threat," he said. "We demand from the world community to support the secular, national and real democratic forces in Pakistan for their autonomous national identity in the federation of Pakistan," Shah said.

Unnecessary involvement in the internal affairs of neighbouring countries has created security problems in the region, he added. "We believe that Pakistan should maintain good relations with all its neighboring countries, particularly Afghanistan and India through non-interference in their internal affairs," Shah said.

This will reduce the tension on border and defence budget, he said, adding the funds so saved shall be spent on the development of the country to bring peace, progress and prosperity. Sherman alleged the government of Pakistan is using jihadist extremism as a tool to find excuse for slow development and corruption in the country.