On Thursday (25th April), a Washington-based ‘journalist’ named Jahanzaib Ali courted controversy after he raked up the dubious issue of ‘visa renewal rejection’ of Avani Dias by Modi governemnt.
For those unaware of the issue, Dias is the South Asia Bureau Chief of the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) News. She had falsely claimed on Tuesday (23rd April) that she was forced to leave India allegedly over critical reporting against the Modi government.
Later, it turned out that she had violated visa rules and had planned to leave for Australia well in advance. This however did not stop Jahanzaib Ali from milking the issue in the hopes of straining India-US ties.
#WATCH | Responding to a question by a Pakistani reporter on allegations of denial of Visa renewal to Australian journalist, Avani Dias, Principal Deputy Spokesperson, US Department of State, Vedant Patel says, "The Government of India can speak to its own visa policy. That's not… pic.twitter.com/5FIfM0Jvzd
— ANI (@ANI) April 25, 2024
Contrary to his nefarious designs, the US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said, “The Government of India can speak to its own visa policy. That’s not something I’m going to opine on from here.”
This was not the first time that Ali had been snubbed by the US State Department. He has a notorious history of soliciting the opinion of the US government over issues pertaining to the internal affairs of India.
Jahanzaib Ali is originally from Pakistan. According to his LinkedIn profile, he has been associated with Pakistani channel ARY News since October 2014. OpIndia found that he has also written for The Friday Times between February and August 2023.
Pakistani journalist snubbed for raking Khalistan issue
On 17th April this year, Jahanzaib Ali raked up the Khalistan issue and alleged that PM Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh confessed to extra-territorial killings of terrorists by the Indian government.
Although he hoped to solicit a strong response from the Spokesperson of the US State Department, Matthew Miller did not entertain his motivated question and instead gave a generalised response.
“As I have said before, the United States is not going to get into the middle of this, but we do encourage both India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and find a resolution through dialogue,” Miller emphasised.
'We're Not Getting In The Middle Of This' – America No Longer Watching India?
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) April 17, 2024
US State spox Matthew Miller reacted to an initial statement by Pakistani journalist @jazzyARY who said that India's DefMin and PM Modi almost admitted to the murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep… https://t.co/3XAZMmevpO pic.twitter.com/xrXgVn5ihA
In September last year, Matthew Miller outrightly refused to comment on the anti-India question of Jahanzaib Ali about the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and the diplomatic row between India and Canada.
It must be mentioned that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had previously alleged India’s role in the killing of Nijjar without furnishing any proof.
Even Canadian Foreign Minister Melaine Joly failed to answer a direct question on whether her country shared evidence with the Indian government about the latter’s supposed involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
When Jahanzaib Ali pleaded for US intervention
In March last year, the Pakistani ‘journalist’ was seen pleading with the then-US State Department spokesperson Ned Price to ensure that the Indian government resumed talks with Pakistan.
Despite being made clear that the United States can only intervene if both India and Pakistan ask for it and both parties agree to it, Ali pestered Ned Price to make a statement. He asked, “Many analysts believe that the US has the power and authority to mediate between the two partners (Pakistan and India)…So why don’t you just mediate?
The spokesperson for the US State Department pointed out, “Because these are decisions for the countries themselves. If they agree on a particular role for the United States, the United States is prepared to, as a partner to both countries, support that process in any way that we responsibly can.”
#WATCH | We support constructive dialogue. We support diplomacy between India and Pakistan to resolve long-standing disputes. We are a partner, and we are willing to support that process in any way that they deem appropriate: US State Department Spox Ned Price pic.twitter.com/mZ5KJ9vqA0
— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2023
“But ultimately, it is not for the United States to determine the modalities or the way in which India and Pakistan engage one another. What we support is constructive dialogue, meaningful diplomacy between India and Pakistan in the first instance to resolve longstanding conflicts,” Ned Price snubbed Ali.
Pakistani ‘journalist’ attempted to sour US-India ties
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit to the United States in June 2023, the Pakistani ‘scribe’ wanted to sour the relationship between India and the US.
He asked the Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the State Department Vedant Patel about the supposed ‘democratic backsliding’ in India and ‘human rights issue’ concerning PM Modi.
Patel shut down Jahanzaib Ali, “Well, I spoke about the forthcoming state visit a little bit yesterday, and I will reiterate again that our partnership with India is one of the most consequential. It is a consequential relationship. We work closely with the Indian Government on some of our most vital priorities.”
2) On 7th June, a Pakistani journalist, Jahanzaib Ali representing #ARY of Pakistan, asked to State department's spokesperson whether the Biden administration would discuss, *democratic backsliding and human rights issues* with PM Modi during his state visit?
— Jayesh Mehta (@JMehta65) June 29, 2023
12/28 pic.twitter.com/wzlMkTngCF
“And we look forward to hosting them here later this month and continuing to deepen our engagement on these issues, whether it be concerning the climate crisis, fostering an open and accessible secure technology ecosystem, upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific, deepening our trade and security cooperation as well,” the Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the State Department added.
When Jahanzaib Ali wanted to exploit raids by Indian govt at BBC office
In February 2023, the US State Department overlooked Ali’s question on the raid at BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai by Indian tax authorities.
The Pakistani journalist wanted to know whether the US was ‘concerned’ about the actions taken by the Modi government .“We are aware of the search of BBC offices in Delhi by Indian tax authorities,” Ned Price had noted, refusing to further entertain the matter.
He also lamented that the US did not criticise the Modi government, based on the propaganda documentary created by the BBC on the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The US State Department Spokesperson had made it clear, “There are close political ties, there are economic ties, and there are exceptionally deep people-to-people ties between the United States and India. But one of those additional elements are the values that we share, the values that are common to American democracy and to Indian democracy.”
#WATCH | We are aware of the search of BBC offices in Delhi by Indian tax authorities. I would say more broadly that we support the importance of free press around the world: US State Dept Spokesperson Ned Price on IT survey at BBC offices in India pic.twitter.com/J6Jh1YFnTA
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2023
In February 2023, the BBC offices were surveyed by tax authorities for 3 days. After the survey, the Finance Ministry issued a statement explaining the depth of tax fraud committed by the BBC.
Without naming BBC, the statement said that a survey action under section 133A of the Income Tax Act, 1961(the Act) was carried out at the business premises of group entities of a prominent international Media Company in Delhi and Mumbai.
Conclusion
As a true Pakistani, Jahanzaib Ali has been involved in exploiting fault lines in the bilateral relations between India and the US. And he does it shrewdly by framing his pro-Pakistani propaganda in the form of questions.
Given his area of operation in Washington and easy access to the US State Department, Ali serves as a valuable asset in the hands of anti-India forces to carry out their sinister agenda.
