Charges put new strain on U.S.-Pakistani relations

DRIVING THE DAY is another blow to U.S.-Pakistani relations – charges were filed Tuesday in what the FBI claims is a scheme by Pakistan’s military and intelligence agency to funnel millions of dollars through a front group for lobbying and campaign contributions designed to influence U.S. strategy toward Kashmir.

THE CHARGES AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS Syed Fai and Zaheer Ahmad allege the Kashmiri American Council, which Fai led, was a front for Pakistani intelligence. Fai was arrested Tuesday, and Ahmad is believed to be in Pakistan.

The Washington Post story is here: http://wapo.st/qtBEUN. The New York Times story is here: http://nyti.ms/n2I3EE

AMONG THE RECIPIENTS of campaign cash from the group was GOP Rep. Dan Burton of Indiana, a longtime advocate for Pakistani claims in Kashmir. http://politi.co/nM5AUZ

THE PAKISTANI EMBASSY declined comment on the allegations, but Ambassador Husain Haqqani noted on Twitter that “The FBI affidavit does not allege embassy involvement or knowledge re Mr. Fai’s allegedly unlawful funding arrangements,” and said “Mr. Fai’s arrest 4 non-compliance w/ US law on registration of foreign lobbyists shdnt affect US-Pak rels or R stance on Kashmir.”

BUT IF YOU THOUGHT U.S. RELATIONS WITH PAKISTAN COULDN’T GET WORSE, stay tuned. “Every time there is an attempt to improve relations, there is a new issue which comes up. The U.S. and Pakistan have to find ways of overcoming this mutual hostility,” a Pakistani official told CBS. http://bit.ly/q1eiGx