FM should cancel US trip, says Senate chief
Some senators want Islamabad to deny US use of airspace
Khawaja Asif. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle on Wednesday condemned US President Donald Trump’s speech outlining his administration’s new Afghan strategy as some senators suggested that Islamabad should revisit terms of engagement with Washington.
Trump on Tuesday cleared the way for the deployment of more US troops to Afghanistan, while pillorying Pakistan for offering safe havens to ‘agents of chaos’.
The US president indicated that this single-minded approach would extend to US relations with Pakistan. "We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations," he said, warning that vital aid could be cut.
"We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars. At the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting," he claimed. "That will have to change and that will change immediately."
Senate passes right to information bill
The upper house on Wednesday had a detailed debate on Trump’s speech. Before start of the discussion, Defence Minister Khurrum Dastagir in his opening statement said Pakistan had taken note of Trump’s statement outlining elements of a new US policy on Afghanistan and South Asia.
“Pakistan has been and will continue to be part of the global counter terrorism efforts. Pakistan and the United States have been close allies in the fight against terrorism, which is a common threat to all nations of the world.
“As a matter of policy, Pakistan does not allow use of its territory against any country. Instead of relying on the false narrative of safe havens, the US needs to work with us to eradicate terrorism,” he said.
The minister said threat to peace and security could not be isolated from the complex interplay of geopolitics, continued existence of festering disputes and pursuit of hegemonic policies. Non-resolution of the Kashmir dispute remains the primary obstacle to peace and stability in the region, he added.
Dastagir said there is no exclusive military solution to the crisis in Afghanistan. The military action during the last 17 years had not brought peace to Afghanistan, and it is not likely to do so in the future. Only an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned politically negotiated solution can lead to sustainable peace in Afghanistan.
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“Pakistan is committed to working with the international community towards the common objective of defeating the forces of terrorism and to promote peace and stability in the South Asian region,” he said.
However, the members termed the government’s stance weak. Some senators suggested that Pakistan revise it terms of engagement with US and deny it the use of its airspace and land route.
During the discussion, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani also made some strong remarks. At one occasion, he said if US president wants Afghanistan to become a graveyard of US troops, let him do so. He said government of Pakistan should cancel visit of the new foreign minister to US after Trump’s speech.
PPP’s Farhatullah Babar said President Trump was wrong in pointing the finger at Pakistan but while rejecting the US President’s arrogance, Pakistan must also look inwardly whether time had not come for abandoning the failed policy of selective treatment of militant groups.
“Point 7 of the National Action Plan (NAP) says ‘defunct outfits will not be allowed to operate under other names' but it has not been acted upon. Worse still, instead of taking action recently banned militant outfits were allowed to reassemble and launch themselves as a political party, he said.
He said mere statements that there are no favourites among militant groups are not enough unless backed by action on the ground. Blocking the UN move to impose sanctions against head of a banned militant outfit does pose questions.
Babar said parliament was the forum where candid discussion could be held with all stakeholders on revisiting security policies instead of regurgitating a trite narrative that no one believed.
Taking part in the discussion, Senator (retd) General Qayyum said a big conspiracy was being hatched against nuclear-armed Pakistan. “They want to deprive us of the nuclear weapons,” he feared.
Qayyum urged that US must learn lessons of history and avoid use of brute force to solve an intricate political issue. He suggested regional approach involving all stakeholders including Afghan Taliban.
He said encouraging Indian involvement in Afghanistan will compound the issue as India is involved in fomenting militancy in Pakistan. “We reject the policy of victimising Pakistan for the US own failures and Afghan government’s incompetence.”
Usman Kakar of PKMAP claimed that the policy of good and bad Taliban still continued. He said foreign policy should be framed by parliament but everything was in the hands of the establishment. Jehanzeb Jamaldini of BNP-M endorsed the point that foreign policy should be under the control of democratic forces.
Senator Nihal Hashmi said the US ambassador had committed contempt of parliament by holding a meeting with the army chief. He questioned in which capacity he held a meeting with the COAS when parliament and a democratic government are in place. “They want to create divisions,” he said.
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle on Wednesday condemned US President Donald Trump’s speech outlining his administration’s new Afghan strategy as some senators suggested that Islamabad should revisit terms of engagement with Washington.
Trump on Tuesday cleared the way for the deployment of more US troops to Afghanistan, while pillorying Pakistan for offering safe havens to ‘agents of chaos’.
The US president indicated that this single-minded approach would extend to US relations with Pakistan. "We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations," he said, warning that vital aid could be cut.
"We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars. At the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting," he claimed. "That will have to change and that will change immediately."
Senate passes right to information bill
The upper house on Wednesday had a detailed debate on Trump’s speech. Before start of the discussion, Defence Minister Khurrum Dastagir in his opening statement said Pakistan had taken note of Trump’s statement outlining elements of a new US policy on Afghanistan and South Asia.
“Pakistan has been and will continue to be part of the global counter terrorism efforts. Pakistan and the United States have been close allies in the fight against terrorism, which is a common threat to all nations of the world.
“As a matter of policy, Pakistan does not allow use of its territory against any country. Instead of relying on the false narrative of safe havens, the US needs to work with us to eradicate terrorism,” he said.
The minister said threat to peace and security could not be isolated from the complex interplay of geopolitics, continued existence of festering disputes and pursuit of hegemonic policies. Non-resolution of the Kashmir dispute remains the primary obstacle to peace and stability in the region, he added.
Dastagir said there is no exclusive military solution to the crisis in Afghanistan. The military action during the last 17 years had not brought peace to Afghanistan, and it is not likely to do so in the future. Only an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned politically negotiated solution can lead to sustainable peace in Afghanistan.
Senate panel seeks report on cess collection in Fata
“Pakistan is committed to working with the international community towards the common objective of defeating the forces of terrorism and to promote peace and stability in the South Asian region,” he said.
However, the members termed the government’s stance weak. Some senators suggested that Pakistan revise it terms of engagement with US and deny it the use of its airspace and land route.
During the discussion, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani also made some strong remarks. At one occasion, he said if US president wants Afghanistan to become a graveyard of US troops, let him do so. He said government of Pakistan should cancel visit of the new foreign minister to US after Trump’s speech.
PPP’s Farhatullah Babar said President Trump was wrong in pointing the finger at Pakistan but while rejecting the US President’s arrogance, Pakistan must also look inwardly whether time had not come for abandoning the failed policy of selective treatment of militant groups.
“Point 7 of the National Action Plan (NAP) says ‘defunct outfits will not be allowed to operate under other names' but it has not been acted upon. Worse still, instead of taking action recently banned militant outfits were allowed to reassemble and launch themselves as a political party, he said.
He said mere statements that there are no favourites among militant groups are not enough unless backed by action on the ground. Blocking the UN move to impose sanctions against head of a banned militant outfit does pose questions.
Babar said parliament was the forum where candid discussion could be held with all stakeholders on revisiting security policies instead of regurgitating a trite narrative that no one believed.
Taking part in the discussion, Senator (retd) General Qayyum said a big conspiracy was being hatched against nuclear-armed Pakistan. “They want to deprive us of the nuclear weapons,” he feared.
Qayyum urged that US must learn lessons of history and avoid use of brute force to solve an intricate political issue. He suggested regional approach involving all stakeholders including Afghan Taliban.
He said encouraging Indian involvement in Afghanistan will compound the issue as India is involved in fomenting militancy in Pakistan. “We reject the policy of victimising Pakistan for the US own failures and Afghan government’s incompetence.”
Usman Kakar of PKMAP claimed that the policy of good and bad Taliban still continued. He said foreign policy should be framed by parliament but everything was in the hands of the establishment. Jehanzeb Jamaldini of BNP-M endorsed the point that foreign policy should be under the control of democratic forces.
Senator Nihal Hashmi said the US ambassador had committed contempt of parliament by holding a meeting with the army chief. He questioned in which capacity he held a meeting with the COAS when parliament and a democratic government are in place. “They want to create divisions,” he said.