U.S. Congressman blasts authorities for denying entry to Balochi nationalist leader

Washington, May 11(ANI): U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher has written a letter to the Secretary for Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, asking why a member of Peoples' Organisation for Balochistan was denied entry into the U.S. in 2008.

Rohrabacher said Noordin Mengal, a British Citizen, had been denied entry at Newark's Liberty Airport in 2008, and was subsequently "put on a flight out of the US." He said Mengal was also denied visa to the U.S. in 2010 to address a university event on 'Human rights in Balochistan', reports The Express Tribune.

Rohrabacher said the U.S. government should "end its partnership with the ISI in repressing the Balochi people".

"We must allow eligible Balochi leaders to come to the U.S. The people of Balochistan are not the enemy of the U.S.; they are our allies in the region. We should not be throwing roadblocks against the enemies of our enemies by denying them entry in the U.S," he said.

The Congressman said that he felt that Mengal was barred from entering the U.S. in order to not offend the Pakistan Government.

Rohrabacher is the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. In February this year, he had introduced a House Concurrent Resolution asking for Balochistan to be given the right of self-determination. (ANI)