US has withdrawn me from Visitor Leadership programme: Senaullahs

Islamabad, Mar 21 (UNI) Senator Sanaullah Baloch of the Balochistan National Party, has accused the Pakistan government of pressurising the United States to withdraw his name from the ''International Visitor Leadership Programme on Accountability in Government and Business'', press reports have stated.

''The US government has withdrawn me from the programme,'' ''Senator Baloch, who is critical of the Musharraf government for his "brutal actions" in Balochistan, has stated. This was done at the behest of the Pakistan Foreign Office, he said.

The programme was to be organised from March 27 to April 15 this year, he said adding the US embassay asked for his passport in January. After getting visa and confirmation of the programme, he was also asked to speak at the US Institute of Peace on the Balochistan crisis.

He claimed the First secretary of the US embassy Tom C Pickrel informed him through a letter regarding cancellation of his visa.

UNI/XC/SMA/LS RK1250