Rabbani reminds McCain of his support to ISIS

His remarks come after Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz gives policy statement in Senate

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani on Tuesday warned the US of a ‘tit-for-tat’ response in case inappropriate and provocative statements from certain American lawmakers did not stop.

“We would ask them (US) to explain how the jihadis of yesterday became the terrorists of today.  We would ask why Senator John McCain and other congressmen supported ISIS,” Rabbani remarked in the Upper House of Parliament.



His remarks came after Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz gave a policy statement in the Senate on recent provocative statements by some US Congressmen about Pakistan.

“If they (US) keep accusing us, they should think—that they are living in a house of glass. The kind of language they used about Pakistan and the way they ridiculed us—if this does not stop—there will be payback time,” Rabbani asserted.



He went on to say that lawmakers ought to exercise restraint.

“It is better they (US Congressmen) exercise restraint. We, as Parliament, exercise restraint,” he said warning, “Or else, there would be a tit-for-tat response.”

Earlier, Aziz in his policy statement said the ‘inappropriate language’ was used by some US lawmakers and it did not reflect official US policy.



“The inappropriate language and crude outbursts lower congressional dignity and undermine its respect,” Aziz said.

He said Congress was working closely with Islamabad on relevant diplomatic and strategic issues and was reflected in the recent visit of Pakistan by delegation from the US Senate led by McCain. Aziz pointed out McCain had categorically stated after the visit that the situation in Pakistan has changed very much.

Referring to the fact that Pakistan is among the top recipients of US aid, Aziz said Islamabad was trying to bring a shift in the trend. “Our focus is to shift from aid to trade.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2016.