Fauzia gives short-lived relief to Americans over Davis

ISLAMABAD: It was music to the ears of the US diplomats in Pakistan on Monday afternoon when central secretary information of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) who is also spokesperson of the party declared in Karachi that US assassin Raymond Davis, who killed three innocent Pakistani youngsters in Lahore last month, was a diplomat having the blanket of immunity against any criminal proceedings.

The US diplomats who had prior knowledge of the announcement made by the PPP spokesperson took detailed notes of the proceedings of the press conference of the old lady fervently and transmitted it to Washington without wasting a moment.

The press conference was organised hurriedly in Karachi soon after the US ambassador in Pakistan Cameron Munter held a meeting with Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir in Islamabad. The meeting was requested by the US ambassador. The foreign secretary immediately reported the Presidential Palace regarding the briefing given to him by the US envoy since the prime minister was away from the federal capital on a foreign trip.

It is believed that Fauzia Wahab addressed the press conference when President Zardari had received the briefing from the foreign secretary. She pleaded what all being argued by the Americans about Raymond Davis and she also added strength to the case of Washington in the matter just to please them.

The US diplomat took the assertions by the lady as official version of the host government, but their pleasant surprise proved to be short-lived when public opinion turned violent about views expressed by the elderly member of the National Assembly and fear was felt that demonstrations could erupt across the country within no time.

The patriotic circles turned alarmed on the development and the government had to make arrangements on emergency basis for announcing disassociation from the remarks made by Fauzia, who also talked of disciplinary action against former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

The observations made by former federal foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has pushed the presidency to an extremely awkward position because the tall house has turned up to be the hub of American sympathisers in Pakistan and for the reasons security of the former foreign minister is being enhanced.

Sources told The News that the government was extremely frightened from the acceptance by the masses of the version of the story given by Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the case of Raymond Davis. The government had to withdraw whatever was earlier said by the lady. She was asked to disown the position that was attributed to her on the basis of her statement that she gave while giving reference to a voluminous, but closed book.

“It was my personal opinion,” she explained later. She could not differentiate her official position and her personal opinion. It is believed that her personal opinion is confined to her house kitchen otherwise whatever she will be saying or doing it would be attributed to her party for which she is acknowledged spokesperson. She never said in her press conference called in haste that the observations she was giving were her personal opinion.

The statement of the lady was first disowned on behalf of the government by another lady who is official spokesperson of the government and federal information minister. The denial was further fortified by the press secretary of the president when a strong message from somewhere reached the presidency, the sources added.

By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
Tuesday, February 15, 2011