Parliament Committee on National Security has rectified the decisions of
the cabinet and DCC regarding the boycott of Bonn Conference, to get
vacate the Shamsi airbase and stopping the NATO supplies; meanwhile the
committee showed satisfaction over the briefing of the Pakistan army
officials on Mohmand Agency carnage.
On the other hand Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has declared
that the country has been compelling by the grave infringement of its
territorial frontiers by NATO/ISAF to re-visit its national security
paradigm, telling the United States and NATO that there is a limit to
our patience and cooperation cannot be one way street.
He made the hard-hitting statement before the Parliamentary Committee
on National Security at its meeting in the Parliament House Friday
where the PM along with his team including DG, Military Operations
briefed the Committee about the aggression and the situation arising of
the development.
Briefing newsmen after the committee meeting, the Minister for
Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said the meeting
continued for three hours with Senator Mian Raza Rabbani in the chair
and attended by members representing different political parties
including PPP, PML(N), PML(Q), MQM, JUI(F), ANP, Jamat-e-Islami, PPP
Sherpao, and PKMAP and FATA. The meeting of the Committee continued for
three hours.
Director General Military Operations Major General Ashfaq Nadeem
also briefed the committee about all facts relating to the unfortunate
incident.
Foreign Milnister Hina Rabbani Khar also responded to qurries of the members relating to diplomatic front.
The Committee offered fateha khawani for the Shuhada and expressed
condolences with their families. The committee also paid them homage.
The Committee unanimously endorsed decisions of the DCC and cabinet
about suspension of NATO supplies through Pakistan, evacuation of Shamsi
airbase and non-participation in the Bonn Conference.
The Committee resolved that irrespective of political divide, the
entire nation is one when it comes to national interests and sovereignty
of the country.
It thanked the Prime Minister for expressing confidence in the
committee and referring the issue to it. The committee would formulate
recommendations for joint session of the Parliament to be convened.
The Information Minister said the committee also appreciated the role
of the Prime Minister and steps taken by the government to courageously
defend the cause of the country setting aside all international
pressures. It reassured that similar decisions would be taken through
complete solidarity in the national interest of the country.
The Prime Minister urged members of the committee to come out with
recommendations at the earlist so that they could be considered by the
joint sitting of the parliament for defining new terms of cooperation
and engagement with respect to war on terror.
Replying to a question, the Information Minister said a special
meeting of the federal cabinet would be convened after 10th of Muharram
when Director General military operations would brief the cabinet.
Replying to a question, the Information Minister said the Prime
Minister as well as the Committee endorsed delegation of powers by the
Army Chief at the operational level to respond to any aggression in
future.
On another question, she said the Prime Minister has asked Minister
for Finance to brief the committee about economic impact of the emerging
scenario.
Meanwhile briefing the parliamentary committee on national security
about Salala aggression by NATO e addressing the Prime Minister Syed
Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that dastardly attacks of NATO are grave
infringement of Pakistan’s territorial frontiers and compel us to
revisit our national security paradigm.
The Prime Minister apprised the committee about steps taken by the
government and said an emergent meeting of DCC was convened which
decided to revisit and undertake a complete review of all programmes,
activities and cooperative arrangements with the United States and NATO
including diplomatic, political, military and intelligence.
Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani declared that national interests are supreme
and all policies, positions and actions should conform to safeguarding
and advancing our national interests.
He said safeguarding of the country’s sovereignty, independence, and
terrirotial integrity is a sacred national duty. Under no
circimustances can this be compsomised no matter what the cost.
He said security and stability and ensuring the prosperity of the people are among foremost priorities of the government.
The prime Minister said regional security and stability and good
relations with all neighbours is important. Pakistan as a responsible
member of the international community attaches utmost importance to
respect for the principle of the UN charter, norms of the inter-state
conduct and international law.
He said a stable and peaceful Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s national
interest. Pakistan has been impacted severely by the conflict and
turmoil in Afghanistan besides the huge case load of Afghan refugees,
which runs into millions, Pakistan has been directly impacted by
military and terrorism. Terrorism has cast thousands of lives of
innocent citizens and security and armed services personnel. The
economic costs have been astounding.
The Prime Minister said countering terrorism is a national priority
and the whole nation is determined to eliminate the menace from our
society and the region. He said elimination of the menace requires a
comprehensive approach as signified by our three Ds.
The Prime Minister said our security and counter terrorism policy needs to be pursued in a manner that suits Pakistan’s national interest.
The Prime Minister said our security and counter terrorism policy needs to be pursued in a manner that suits Pakistan’s national interest.
He said the only effective way forward is to have complete unity in our ranks and total support of the people.
The Prime Minister regretted that Pakistan’s willingness to cooperate
with the international community on counter terrorism has not been
understood in its proper perspective. The notion to give Pakistan a “to
do ” list and the mantra of “do more” has caused immense resentment. he
also regretted that in recent months there has been a tendency to
project Pakistan not as a partner but as the problem.
He said Pakistan has suffered immensely in the campaign against
militancy and terror but there is a tendency to make Pakistan into a
scapegoat for failings of international policies in Afghanistan.
He said our efforts to improve relations with Afghanistan and support
for Afghan-led efforts for reconciliation and peace have been
misconstrued.
The Prime Minister said there is limit to our patience and cooperation cannot be a one way street.
He said under these most challenging and difficult circumstances
Pakistan has maintained a principled approach and exercised utmost
restraint. He however said it would a gave miscalculation for any one
to believe that stability and peace in Afghanistan can be restored or
maintained by destabilizing Pakistan. Under no circumstance will we
allow Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity to be jeopardized
by ill-considered and rash actions like attacks on our territory by
NATO.
The Prime Minister declared that patriotic people of Pakistan and
valiant armed force will spare no sacrifice in the defence of their
motherland. Instructions have been issues to all units of the Pakistan
armed forces to respond with full force to any act of aggression and
infringement of the country’s territorial frontiers.
He said the nation as a whole and all state institutions are fully
united and determined in their resolve to uphold national dignity and
honor and to frustrate and defeat any nefarious designs against the
country.
The Prime Minister said the way forward is to make honest efforts to get clarity and develop coherence especially among Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States for instituting a credible process for a durable political settlement that guarantees the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan.
The Prime Minister said the way forward is to make honest efforts to get clarity and develop coherence especially among Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States for instituting a credible process for a durable political settlement that guarantees the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan.
He said Pakistan does not seek aid or economic assistance from the
United States. What we seek is respect for our sovereignty and
territorial integrity; a firm and categorical commitment on
inviolability of Pakistan’s borders and on non-recurrence of such
incidents.
According to the sources the members of the committee has demanded to
permanently shut the supplies to NATO forces in Afghanistan; meanwhile
the religious leaders present in the meeting demanded the government to
part ways with the US in war against terrorism.
On the other hand the date for the joint sitting of the parliament
was not agreed. This could not be happened because the PML-N demanded to
hold the open joint session of the parliament; failing which the PML-N
would not attend the session.
The matter would be discussed in the parliamentary committee meeting going to be held on the 8th of December.
Meanwhile the committee meeting was presided over by Senator Mian
Raza Rabbani and was attended by Senator Babar Awan, Senator Ishaq Dar,
Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan, Senator Wasim Sajjad, Maulana Fazalur Rehman,
Professor Senator Khurshid Ahmed, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Senator
Abdul Rahim Mandokeh and others. SANA
