Minister for Defence Khurram Dastgir Wednesday said Pakistan is committed to working with international community and regional partners to defeat terrorism and promote peace and stability in South Asia. He was speaking at the upper house of Parliament in response to clubbed Calling Attention and Adjournment Motion notices about US President new strategy for South Asia and Afghanistan and remarks about Pakistan.
The minister said Pakistan has taken note of President Trump’s speech and it is disappointing that the United States statement overlooked the tremendous counter terrorism achievements of Pakistan as well as the immense scarifies rendered by the whole nation during this struggle.
The Defence Minister said the government welcomed discussion on this vital national security issue in the House of Federation. He said Federal Cabinet has mandated the Prime Minister to take up the issue at a National Security Committee meeting and formulate a comprehensive policy response.
He said the collective wisdom of the House will also be represented in the National Security Committee meeting.
Taking part in the discussion, the members strongly condemned the US statement and said that the whole nation is united to safeguard the motherland.
The members said the national interests should be kept on the top while formulating the country’s foreign policy.
Senator Farhat Ullah Babar said that statement of Donald Trump should not be taken lightly and Pakistan should improve and strengthen its relations with China, Russia, Afghanistan and Iran. He said that Parliament is seriously concerned with the statement and no other country should intervene in our internal affairs.
He said the defunct organization working with other names should not be allowed to function here.
Senator Sehar Kamran said that US had endorsed its failure in Afghanistan through this statement. She said Pakistan has to face billions of dollars loss and nothing was done by US here during the last 16 years.
“We are hosting millions of Afghan refuges and even sacrificed our social fabric but US has failed to ensure stability in Afghanistan,” she said adding that Pakistan is on way to progress and it is unfair to isolate it.
Senator Sherry Rehman said that it is a dangerous statement against the country which is successfully executing war against terrorism. “We are not a country that has distorted governance and given sanctuary to TTP offenders,” she said adding that US should also review its policies which bear no result during last 16 years.
PML-Senator Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah said that Pakistan will take appropriate steps to ensure its protection. Leveling allegation against Pakistan is inappropriate when it is at forefront in war against terrorism and no peace in Afghanistan is possible without assistance of Pakistan, he added.
PPPP Senator Taj Haider said that it was a mistake to stand with US imperialism for last 70 years because its establishment only asks us for military duty. He demanded US to look into the terrorism being done in Kashmir and Palestine.
ANP Senator Sitarar Ayaz said that democratic government should strongly condemn statement of US President. She welcomed the statement of China in favour of Pakistan and urged the entire nation to stand united.
PTI Senator Shibli Faraz that statement of US President is like a defeated person who cannot fight successfully against terrorism. US wants us to fight its war, he said and demanded the diversity in foreign policy of Pakistan by keeping national interest on priority.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that US government has failed in war against terrorism and 40 percent Afghanistan is under control of Taliban. He said there is no military solution and regional and diplomatic approach should be adopted to resolve it.
He said that Pakistan should take regional and political initiative and to negotiate with China and other friendly countries to take them on board. We should use option of airlocks by banning our air space for it, he added.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that US government has failed in war against terrorism and 40 percent Afghanistan is under control of Taliban. He said there is no military solution and regional and diplomatic approach should be adopted to resolve it.
He said that Pakistan should take regional and political initiative and to negotiate with China and other friendly countries to take them on board. We should use option of airlocks by banning our air space for it, he added.
PML-N Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq said that there is need to strengthen us economically. “I am not surprised over this attitude of US because it is the country which is silent for decades over violation of human rights in occupied Kashmir,” she added.
Senator Lt. General (Retd) Abdul Qayume said that United State is imposing its policy failure on Pakistan as US remained unsuccessful in Afghanistan.
He said that America must learn from lessons of history and avoid use of brute force to solve an intricate political issue and regional approach involving all stakeholders including Afghan Taliban is recommended.
He said we reject the policy of Victimizing Pakistan for US own failures and Afghan government incompetence.
US policy pertaining to South Asia without mentioning a word about thorny issue of Kashmir where worst human rights violations are being committed is incomprehensible, he added.
Senator Mohsin Aziz said that United State wanted to weaken the economy of Pakistan adding that now all political parties and whole nation should be united and stand with government.
Senator Tahir Hussain Mashaddi said America was defeated whereever it started war including Syria, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
He said people of Pakistan are behind the government like a sold rock in this situation after the statement of the US President.
Senator Nehyal Hashmi said President Trump threatened the state ofPakistan and we strongly condemned his statement.
He said America and India have also problem with China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and they do not want to see flourish it in Pakistan adding that size of American Embassy should be reduced.
Senator Saeed ul Hassan Mandokhail said we should not give importance to the statement of the American President adding that he would not go to America for treatment after Trump’s statement.
Senator Usman Khan Kakar said that Parliament should be strengthened as it is only solution of all problems.
Leader of the Opposition Senator Aitzaz Ahsan said India is fully involved in Afghanistan and doing its activities there.
He said it was the responsibility of the government to restore the supremacy of the Parliament adding that foreign offices should have been called the American Ambassador and record protest against the statement of the President Trump.
