ISLAMABAD: Troika on Sunday resolved to follow rational as against emotional
path in reviewing Pakistan’s ties with US in the light of unanimous resolution
of the Parliament’s in-camera joint-sitting.
“The country’s top leadership, however, reaffirmed its commitment to
safeguarding national dignity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” sources
privy to troika meeting told Online.
An official handout stated that Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani called
on President Asif Ali Zardari at Presidency. Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq
Pervez Kayani was also present during the meeting that discussed current
security situation, it added.
Earlier the sources described the three top figures on the same page during
the meeting on following the message in the Parliament’s resolution in letter
and spirit to restore feelings of the Pakistani people hurt by the American
unilateral operation in Abbottabad.
According to the sources, the military and civil leadership sharpened
Pakistan’s stance in furthering engagement with US from where a so-called
pro-Pakistan Senator John Kerry arrived here this evening. Kerry is the first
high level American dignitary visiting Pakistan for over a daylong trip to meet
Pakistani leadership. “He appears to be on an appeasement tour, pacifying
charged sentiment in Pakistan with assurances to help expedite releases of funds
already committed by the US under the Coalition Support Fund and the KLB Act,”
the sources observed.
“Therefore the troika was unanimous in telling the US that Pakistan would no
more tolerate unilateralism in terms of covert operations and drone attacks,”
the sources added. He would be reminded that Pakistan and US bilateral relations
were supposed to be based on mutual respect and no unilateralism or pressure in
deviation from national security would be acceptable, the meeting decided.
During the meeting the Army Chief assured the political leadership that the
armed forces as well as the premier intelligence apparatus would not disappoint
the nation, the sources said.
The troika also undertook to ensure timely setting up of an Independent
Commission to probe into the Abbottabad operation that killed Osama Bin Laden.
The army and the government were all out to facilitate both the establishment
and proceedings of the Commission as transpired from the Sunday meeting
according to the sources. Online
