Pakistan vital for US interests in the region: Congressman Burton

While addressing a discussion organized by the Pakistani-American League at the Capitol Hill Thursday, he said Pakistan was a friend and ally of the US for a long time, ever since the time of first Afghan war. There are some difference of opinion about why we should continue to support Pakistan, and cutting-off aid to some countries but we should look at the larger picture, he argued.Congressman Burton, Republican from Indiana and a member of the House Foreign Relations Committee, said that Pakistan was a nuclear power and the US had to deal with it in a different way. There is potential of conflict in the region, if we pull out, because India is also a nuclear power. Balance of power in the region is also important, he maintained.We have had strong differences with Pakistan, but there are reason for which we need to support them to ensure stability in the region, he said while calling himself a friend of Pakistan. I may not agree with everything that Pakistan does, but we need to look at areas where we can cooperate, he opined.On the issue of the controversial movie, he said that people came to US from all over the world for religious freedom and better opportunities. All countries deserve the same kind of liberties and religious tolerance, but this is not happening, he said while urging the importance to understand that the world is made up with different kinds of people with different views.He cautioned against the policy to send forces to other countries without looking at the possible consequences. Before US decides to enter any other country for changing the regime, it must look at the consequences in the future for the world, he said while giving the example of Arab spring that led to the killing of US ambassador to Libya.Nobody knows how Arab spring is going to turn out. My worry is that we dont have looked ahead where it will go, Burton stated adding that any action should first think about results and whether it will promote further radicalism. There is a great deal of concern because of what is going on in Iran, Egypt, Libya and other parts of the world, he said while cautioning that the US couldnt change the world according to its wishes overnight.Safia Ghouri -- from Special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Ambassador Marc Grossmans office -- said agreed that there had been issues in Pak-US relationship during the last couple of years. But we are now moving from problem-identification to problem-solving phase, she appreciated.She said that ordinary people coming out in support of Malala Yusufzai and against violence in Pakistan was very significant. We are in touch with the Pakistan government on this case and have offered any kind of medical or other treatment that we can extend for her well-being, she said. She also called the US administrations rejection of controversial movie as encouraging as it sent out a clear message.President of Pak-American League, Dr. Nisar Chaudhary, on the occasion, said that violence and killings should not happen because of senseless action of a few people. There is a need to bridge the gap between different faith and races as well as ideologies, he said adding that freedom of expression was in US constitution, but time had changed and efforts should be undertaken to stop acts like the blasphemous movie in future.Abdullah Wahab, Imam of Islamic Center in Washington, DC, in his remarks said that some people in the west had negative perspectives about Islam. Islam teaches tolerance. Many people claim to be part of the religion, but they dont understand religion, he regretted. Several members of the Pakistani-American community also attended the discussion.- Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington, DC