ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sought concrete guarantees from the US that its territorial sovereignty will not be transgressed in the future as a pre-condition to put their strained relations back on track.
With the relations at their lowest ebb since the November 26 deadly Nato air raid, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Friday that the US must respect Pakistan’s ‘red lines’ – its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In a meeting with Washington’s top diplomat in Islamabad, Cameron Munter, premier Gilani sought guarantees from the US that there would be no “breach of his country’s frontiers in the future.” Over two dozen troops were killed in the Nato airstrikes on Pakistani border posts in Mohmand Agency, forcing Islamabad to review it’s terms of engagement with the US.
Though the US has vacated the Shamsi Airbase and the key Nato supply route has been blocked, analysts say the worst is over and signs of thaw have started emerging.
Friday’s meeting was a clear signal. The prime minister said that his government’s primary responsibility is to safeguard Pakistan’s dignity and honour, adding that respect for sovereignty and a guarantee to not repeat unilateral action are the ‘minimum’ that Pakistan expects.
Ambassador Munter emphasised that both countries should fully cooperate to fight the menace of terrorism.
Prime Minister Gilani said that his country wanted to work with the US to defeat the common enemy – terrorism. However, he added that relations between the two countries must be based on mutual respect.
“No war can be fought without the support of the people,” he added. With regard to his country’s policy vis-à-vis Afghanistan, PM Gilani said that an independent, prosperous and stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interest. “We will support a reconciliation process in Afghanistan which is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned and does not destabilise Pakistan,” he added.
Ambassador Munter said that both Pakistan and the US need to cooperate with commitment and single-mindedness to defeat the common enemy. Convergence of interests between the two countries against the enemy provides the realistic basis to continue to collaborate and save the world from the curse of extremism and terrorism, he said.
Munter expressed his government’s resolve to probe the deadly Nato air raid and formulate a strategy to avoid such incidents in the future.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2011.
COMMENTS (32)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Adam: Dear Adam, I agree with you when you say "God bless America". Obviously, America needs all the help it can get. Ten years in Afghanistan, several trillion dollars spent, heaven knows how many killed or injured, and still at the starting gate.
OH, I think PAK should go ahead and declare war with the US, then the double game can stop.
@Akhtar:
"Do we respect beggars on our streets?"
The answer is no.
" It’s time we command respect. "
You don't command respect, but you earn it!
The red line is being respected as follows:
"The legislation freezes aid to Pakistan until the secretary can certify that Islamabad is cooperating on counterterrorism, including taking steps to prevent terrorist groups such as the Haqqani network from operating in the country”.
Your move!
Do we respect beggars on our streets? It's time we command respect.
America always respects Red Lines, but only if a country has One?.
@Its Economy stupid - How about your country India respecting Pakistan's redlining . . . . . India is stubbornly building dams with all evil intentions to control Pakistan's water resources.
We want US to respect our boundries fine. How about the global jihadists gathering in Pakistani safe havens? What happens to the integritiy of the country then? It is free for all Jihadists but not their enemy?
@rehmat: Could not have put it better !!! Sad that the people in this Nation are too indoctrinated from very young age that they simply can not grasp the reality !! That reality is about to hit them very hard, in terms of economy, if not in any other area as of immediate effect which will spiral out to other facters too, and end outcome is going to be very nasty !
One really should consider this thin red line as it really runs right across the country, as Pakistan has not really managed to defend its territory, namely East pakistan, and all the other activities & adventurrisms over period of time by its Army ! So its not a great surprise that NW is also possibly no go area !! Now when these guys sitting in Islamabad , make their braveheart comments ! Well it is rather lame as their own cities they simply do not control !!!! I would be more concerned about the state of Economy, without Aid at present !!!
@Patriotic: "I am not saying that we should go to war with the US" Phew! That is a relief!
How about Pakistan respecting other countries red line on terrorism and non state actors? Kabhi apne girhaban may be jhak ker dekho. Pakistani’s is making a wrong assumption that (a) NATO does not have any leverage but to use Pakistan as a supply route (b) think US and other countries can not do with out them and supposedly presume that they can not think out side the box. Supplies can go though Chabbar port in Iran and other routes. Iran and USA may talk tough but this can give them an opportunity to get rid of their common enemy Taliban for good. Pakistani policy makers are irresponsible and not entertaining the scenario of what if alternate supply routes are found than what? In that scenario Pakistan will have absolutely no leverage and will loose revenue and aid for good as other routes are lot more secured. Pakistani policy makers, as a responsible office bearer, should run a Monte Carlo risk analysis of a scenario what if NATO finds a permanent alternate supply route to by pass Pakistan for good and its impact on the future of Pakistan. Statements are cheap and will give you 15 min of fame and are for local consumption.
Though the concept is already reflected in comments previous to this one... In almost all cases, the people who demand unconditional respect are the ones least deserving of it.
US guarantee that Taliban, Al-Queda and all other sundry terrorist organizations will be wiped out before the troop pull out with or without Pakistan’s cooperation.
You are with us or against us. Remember General Powell’s words after 9/11, that’s all you need to remember and respect, period.
If Pakistan wants that US should respect its sovereignty, integrity and red lines then Pakistan should not take any help from US and stand on its own feet by eradicating corruption from the country.
@Patriotic: You say: "Throw the ball in their court. Raise the issue of drone attacks at international courts".
The issue of 26/11 has been taken to international courts
"Refuse to help them" Not sure if you have noticed but the NATO supplies have been stopped, Shamsi base has been vacated. When it came to Afghan Taliban anyway they were being facilitated by Pakistan so NATO was not getting any help in that area. What else did you have inm mind?
@Patriotic: "We are a nuclear power but we have never really taken advantage of it."
Are you kidding me? You have been blackmailing the whole world with your nukes. No India or US are not afraid that you can nuke them. Your ary would not be so stupid knowing full well that you can be nuked back. But by playing footsie with the terrorists the world is concerned that Pak's nukes could fall in the hands of terrorists. This is why Pakistan gets much more leeway and aid than any other comparable country who showed such behavior would get.
This is America's and Afghanistan's war! Pakistan needs to get out of this as soon as possible. This was not, is not, and wont be Pakistan's war. If Pakistan keeps on fighting it like this, things are gonna get much worse. Pakistan needs to pull out without waging a war with USA because if, God forbid, there is a Pak-USA war; Pakistan would get crushed badly.
"Red lines"?? What is that? Pakistan does not respect any semblance of fairness when it comes to the narratives that are dished out to its naive masses. The US is supposed to have invaded Iraq to control its immense oil reserves. I have news for you, they just left !! Lock, stock and barrel. Pakistan has been peddling fibs and fabrications that are not even creative for as long as I can remember. Now the leaders talk about "red lines"? Give me a break !
They will if you take a strong stance and let them know that our sovereignty is important to us. We are a nuclear power but we have never really taken advantage of it. I am not saying that we should go to war with the US but what I mean is that it is our nuclear weapons that guarantee that we won't be "invaded" in at-least the near future. But in-spite of this status, our government can't put our feelings about drone attacks and the NATO attack forward on international forums. What we do is just moan and groan a bit, and let Pakistan take blame internationally for things that aren't our fault. At least go ahead and tell the world what we feel about such issues. This is why I support Imran Khan. At-least he mentions our feelings and resentments against these drone attacks and violations of our sovereignty, and this is what true leaders are made of. Just telling the US that they must respect your red lines won't do any good now; you've been telling them this for years and they have been ignoring you because they know you won't do anything other than huff and puff. Throw the ball in their court. Raise the issue of drone attacks at international courts. Refuse to help them unless it is Pakistani operators that control the drone. Doesn't sound that possible, but it's better to say this and fail instead of just sitting back and watching your country's red lines get "crossed"!
I am totally agree with Mr. Ali, why we provide them the chance to judge us. We have to defend our country in any cost.
We will support the process of reconciliation in Afghanistan which----does not destabilise Pakistan. The Pakistani Prime Minister held a meeting with US Ambassador and informed him that. Something very serious has happened. A feeling of omen.
Pakistani government must respect its people's red lines !
Respect is not a right it has to be earned
lol @ header of this news.. PM Sahab woh bolo jo manwa saktay ho..
He talks of the red lines but what of our green lines. Should they be crossed or not?