Pakistan seeks unconditional apology on NATO incursion
Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 3:21:13 by Faisal Farooq
The joint-sitting of Parliament started a debate on the terms of engagement with the United States (US) in the light of recommendations presented by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) following deadly American air-strikes on Pakistani troops in Slala check-post.
Chairman Senate, Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari is chairing the joint-session summoned by President Asif Ali Zardari in exercise of powers conferred upon him under Clause (1) of Article 54 of the Constitution.
The joint-session is expected to go on for three days and it will discuss about new terms of engagement with the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Since suspension of the NATO supply line, it is for the first time the Parliament is going to discuss the future dynamism of bilateral ties.
Senator Raza Rabbani, who also heads the PCNS that formulated the recommendations, presented the proposals in the joint-session.
The recommendations asked the government to seek unconditional apology on NATO incursion and halt to drone attacks.
Senator Raza Rabbani while reading the recommendations said the government needs to review the focus of current foreign policy keeping in view the aspirations of people of Pakistan. He, however, said no covert or overt operations inside Pakistan shall be tolerated.
He stated there should be transparency and prior approval of the presence of personnel of foreign intelligence.
He observed, “Pakistan should be given assurances that such attack or any other attack impinging on Pakistan’s sovereignty will not reoccur and the NATO, ISAF, US will take effective measures to avoid any such measures”.
Rabbani asserted that any use of Pakistani bases or air space would require Parliament’s approval in advance. No verbal agreement regarding national security will be entered to by any state institution with foreign governments, he added.
“Relationships with the USA should be based on mutual respect for sovereignty, for independence and territorial integrity for each other”, he asserted.
Chairman PCNS suggested that Pakistan’s foreign policy must be focused on the values of peace and harmony with neighbors, adding jirgas would have to be strengthened in order to resolve the secretion situation along Pak-Afghan border.
He recommended that relationships with Russia and China should be strengthened and deepened. At the same time, he was of the opinion that Pakistan should actively pursue gas pipeline project with Iran.
Tags: Afghanistan, India, Iran, ISAF, joint-sitting, NATO, Pakistan, Parliamentary Committee on National Security, PCNS, President Asif Ali Zardari, Raza Rabbani, Russia, Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari, USShort URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=16396
Posted by Faisal Farooq
on Mar 20 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan.
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What is an unconditional apology? What is the substance, or the effect of such a demand? It is just “hot air” for public consumption, isn’t it? The Pakistani government has turned Pakistan into an American protectorate for $$$$ in U.S. aid, and now it demands “apologies” from the U.S. for the way it is using their land? It is funny, isn’t it? Obviously, the Pakistani politicians want to have it both ways: a) Pocket the $$$$ from the U.S., and b) portray themselves to ordinary Pakistanis as nationalists!
Well, they are not! The fact is that they have leased their property (a.k.a. known as sovereignty) to the U.S., and the U.S. has the right to use it according to the terms of the lease! And I don’t mean the publicly stated terms of the lease that are phony, but the behind the scenes “wink, wink” terms that count!
Here is the indisputable and raw fact: “Pakistan has turned itself into a U.S. ‘contractor state’ for its war in Afghanistan,” and the U.S. won’t write checks to Pakistan for nothing! Nikos Retsos, retired professor
Pakistan cannot stay without American aid