A resolution tabled in the U.S. House of Representatives by Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher calling for the right to self-determination for Pakistan’s province, Balochistan, has attracted strong reaction not just from the Pakistani government but also from opposition as well as political and religious parties of the country.

According to Dunya News, the Congressman was of the view that the people of Balochistan were subjected to violence and extrajudicial killing. “They have the right to self-determination and to their own sovereign country; and they should be afforded the opportunity to choose their own status,” he demanded.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar took a strong exception to the draft resolution submitted in the US House of Representatives maintaining that the draft resolution was contrary to the principles of the UN Charter and international law.

According to website of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign minister while reacting to the resolution said: “Such an unfriendly and irresponsible attempt by a few individuals in Washington was aimed to create distrust between the peoples of the two countries.” She also said: “The National Assembly of Pakistan had unanimously adopted a resolution condemning a recent open hearing on Balochistan by the Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Oversight and Investigations. The National Assembly resolution had clearly represented the legitimate reaction of the people of Pakistan.”

Head of Pakistan’s largest religious party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Mr Syed Munawar Hasan, strongly condemned the resolution and termed it a blatant interference in the country’s internal affairs. In a statement, the JI leader stressed upon the government to review its ties with the US and to end its support in the terror war and devise an independent foreign policy.

Similarly, Mr Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, who is chief minister of the Punjab province and also a senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), also strongly condemned the resolution. He said in a statement: “The resolution, based on prejudice and malafide, has salted the hearts of Pakistanis who are already hurt by drone attacks.”  He also sai:d “The problems of Balochistan and Balochis are the problems of Pakistan and we will not allow any country to challenge our sovereignty under the garb of these problems.”

According to Dawn newspaper, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad on Saturday said that the US policy had nothing to do with the resolution tabled in the US House of Representatives on the Balochistan province. According to the report, US respected Pakistan’s sovereignty and Balochistan was an internal matter of the country.