PTI approaches pro-Israel US Congressman Brad Sherman to complain against Pakistani govt
Islamabad:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry thinks “consequences of Ali Bilal alias Zile Shah’s murder will be bigger than the PDM government estimated” because a US lawmaker has taken notice of the killing.
The PTI has accused the government forces of abducting and killing its worker during a protest, a claim that authorities have rejected.
Chaudhry’s statement came after US Congressman Brad Sherman said he talked to former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan who apprised him of the situation in Pakistan.
Sherman said he talked to Khan after Dr Asif Mahmood, a Democratic candidate visited him.
Fawad Chaudhry’s statement raised some eyebrows in Pakistan as his party blames the US government of Sherman’s Democratic party for Imran Khan’s removal from office last year.
The PTI also introduces Khan as the leader of the Muslim Ummah who opposes Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands.
For those unaware, Brad Sherman is a pro-Israel US politician who is known as a staunch supporter of the Jewish state.
Sherman has been a strong supporter and advocate of the U.S-Israel relationship, consistently supporting aid to Israel.
In 2016, he called the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Washington’s chief pro-Israel lobbying and advocacy organization, “the single most important organization in promoting the U.S.-Israel alliance”.
In 2004, Sherman first introduced the U.S.-Israel Energy Cooperation Act. It provides grants to joint ventures between American and Israeli academics and private companies that conduct research and develop energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies.
On July 9, 2014, Sherman appeared as a guest commentator on the Al Jazeera America’s network. During his appearance, he criticized the network’s Qatar-based owners for funding Hamas. Sherman said: “Every one of those rockets fired by Hamas into Israeli cities is a war crime, almost every one. Of course it’s a war crime committed by Hamas. And of course the owners of this TV network help fund Hamas.”
Sherman emphasized that Hamas often aims attacks at civilian targets. The Qatari government owns Al Jazeera.
In December 2014, Sherman and Representative Pete Roskam requested new sanctions on Qatar in a letter to Secretary of Treasury Jack Lew.
They also asked for a detailed accounting of public and private financing from within Qatar for Hamas, Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State, and the al-Nusra Front.
Sherman and other pro-Israel members of Congress have introduced legislation to allow Israel to be part of the visa waiver program.
The legislation failed because the Israeli government was unwilling to grant reciprocal visa-free travel for all U.S. citizens.