Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has taken a strong exception to the mention of Pakistan in a joint statement issued after a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking in the National Assembly today, he recalled that it was Narendra Modi who oversaw the killings of thousands of Muslims and rape of Muslim women in Gujarat during his tenure as the Chief Minister and in recognition of those atrocities, the US, at that time, had imposed ban on issuing a visa to Narendra Modi.
The Defence Minister said the Indian Prime Minister continues to target the minorities especially the Muslims. There is an undeclared curfew in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and the people there are living under restrictions of all sorts in blatant violation of human rights.
He said the Indian government is perpetrating state terrorism in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Turning to the relations with the United States, Khawaja Asif said Pakistan today is paying a heavy price of serving as a frontline state in the two Afghan wars.
He said the terrorism entered Pakistan because it acted as an ally of the United States in the war on terrorism. He regretted that the sacrifices of Pakistan were not acknowledged.
The Defence Minister said the elections are due in the country. He said whosoever forms the next government, it should pursue stable relations with the United States and the neighboring countries. He stressed that Pakistan should leverage on its geographical location.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has urged major powers not to make the war on terrorism controversial and a victim of their geopolitics.
Speaking in the National Assembly today on the joint statement issued after a meeting between the US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the international community should take this menace seriously as it is only through collective efforts that the scourge can be eliminated from the face of the earth.
He regretted that the focus of the world has shifted from terrorism to Ukraine conflict.
The Foreign Minister said Pakistan is the biggest victim of terrorism. It has suffered more casualties than any other country of the world. He said it is in the interest of Pakistan to eliminate terrorism and extremism for peace, stability and prosperity of its own people.
Regarding trials of civilians in military courts, the Foreign Minister said those involved in attacking the military installations and the memorials of martyrs do not deserve any leniency.
He said there are provisions in the law that those involved in such heinous acts be tried in military courts. He said it is responsibility of the parliament, government and the judiciary to establish writ of the state.
The Foreign Minister said we will have to present a roadmap for political and economic stability in the country by also involving the reconcilable opposition members.
He said we will have to agree on bare minimum agenda for the sake of the country.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for including reconstruction and rehabilitation related projects of the flood affected areas in the budget.
He said inclusion of flood reconstruction in the budget will enhance Pakistan's credibility in the eyes of world community that Islamabad is serious in its efforts to deal with the issue of climate change.
Later, the House was adjourned to meet tomorrow at eleven in the morning.
