NA rejects Trump’s ‘hostile, threatening’ statements

Suggests suspension of cooperation with US and bilateral visits

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Wednesday adopted a supplementary resolution rejecting the ‘hostile and threatening’ statements of American President Donald Trump and the US Commander in Afghanistan John W Nicholson regarding Pakistan’s role in the ongoing war on terror.

The house suggested suspension of cooperation with the US and bilateral visits, besides calling for commencement of diplomatic initiative to take on board the friendly countries in the region.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif moved the resolution that was adopted unanimously. Some 15 lawmakers expressed their viewpoint while taking part in a discussion initiated on a motion table to discuss Trump’s statement on the US policy in Afghanistan.

In his statement with regard the new US policy for Afghanistan and South Asia, Trump on August 22 alleged that Pakistan had safe havens for terrorists on its soil. General John Nicholson, on the other hand, claimed the existence of Taliban Shura in Quetta and Peshawar during a recent interview.

Through the resolution, the house also expressed its concerns over excessive role given to India under the new US policy in Afghanistan.

The resolution said, “Given India's known support to terrorism and its destabilising polices in the region, this house condemns attempts by the Trump administration to provide more space to India in Afghanistan.



It said the house considered it a move highly detrimental to regional stability and a complete failure to understand existing ground realities and emerging challenges in the region.

“This house rejects the US claim of giving Pakistan billions of dollars in aid. In fact Pakistan's economy has suffered a loss of more than $123 billion,” the resolution read.

The house also denounced the complete disregard and lack of respect for Pakistan's immense sacrifices in countering terrorism.

“The fact that more than 70,000 Pakistanis have been victims of terrorism, a menace brought to the region four decades ago, has been totally ignored,” it said.

The resolution said: “As a responsible nuclear weapon state, Pakistan has in place a robust and credible command and control system which has been universally recognised.”

The house demanded of the government to express the determination of people of Pakistan to protect Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity; and consider the postponement of any visits by the US delegations to Pakistan or by Pakistani delegations and officials to the US.



It also raised a request to consider suspension of cooperation with the US, particularly the provision of ground and air communication through Pakistan; to draw up and inform the US and the Afghan government of a blueprint for the return of all Afghan refugees in a dignified manner but within specified timeframe; and to formulate economic policies to deal with any situation arising out of the absence of US assistance.

The resolution also recommended commencing a diplomatic initiative, particularly with friendly countries in the region, to inform the international community of Pakistan's counterterrorism strategy and successes and the repercussions on the region of the failed US Afghan policy.

It also called for reiterating Pakistan's determination to strengthen border control measures on the international border with Afghanistan and demand cooperation and similar actions from Kabul and the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).



The house also demanded that the Afghan government should close all safe havens being provided to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and other terrorist organisations, from where terror attacks are conducted inside Pakistan. “The US, Nato and the Afghan government should ensure that India is denied the use of Afghan territory to conduct terrorist attacks against Pakistan,” it said.

“This house reiterates its commitment to constructively engage with the US on the full spectrum of bilateral relations based upon the principle of reciprocity and mutual respect,” it said.

Speaking on the occasion, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said former military dictator General Musharraf brought the Afghan war to Pakistan after September 11 attacks in the United States, and this also violated sovereignty and integrity of the country.

“The superpower [America] had been blaming Pakistan for its failures in Afghanistan but we have been resisting it and the whole nation is on the same page on this issue,” he added.

Earlier, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah urged the government to convene a joint session on the issue after Eidul Azha. “This is a political war and we should formulate our foreign policy keeping in mind our neighboring and friendly countries,” he said.

Shah also asked why the country’s foreign policy had been weakened in the past four years and advised the government to use diplomatic corps to deal with the issues arising from the Trump’s tirade.

Former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan ridiculed Trump's claim that the US had paid ‘billions and billions of dollars to Pakistan and called on the government to issue the record of the past 20 years to expose his claims.

“It's not billions of dollars… it's peanuts,” he said, adding that the Coalition Support Fund payments from the US were for services rendered by Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.

Nisar said that while he was the interior minister, he had called for an ‘international audit’ of the US claims that it had paid Pakistan $240 million over five years, but that “very democratic country did not respond to the audit proposal, and the matters are still the same,” he said of the US.

Agreeing with the opposition leader, he said a joint session of parliament should have been called to discuss a response to the US policy, instead of a National Assembly session. “A message conveyed from a united parliament would be positive,” he added.

The former interior minister said all institutions, including parliament, should come up with a consensus narrative on the issue and then stick to it. “Once the narrative is built, no institution should compromise on it,” he said.

He claimed that Turkey, China and Russia are with Pakistan, while Iran is an important neighbouring country and it should also be taken on board.

PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi said peace in Afghanistan cannot be achieved through Delhi, adding, “This is also not acceptable to Pakistan.”

“If you [US] want to stop our financial assistance, do it. But we will not bow down to you,” Qureshi said, asking why the US was scuttling Pakistan’s efforts for border management with Afghanistan.

Senate adopts initial response

After two days of deliberations, the Senate on Wednesday also adopted the ‘Initial Response to the US President’s Afghan-South Asia Policy Statement’. The initial response comprises immediate and long-term steps that must be taken by the government in the wake of the Trump’s remarks.

The first part directs the government to convey the concerns of Pakistan and its people to the US, and bound the foreign minister to present a fact sheet to Washington to make them aware of the country’s contributions and sacrifices in the war against terror.

It also tells the government that the exact economic implications and a fact sheet on US assistance to Pakistan should also be immediately released portraying actual picture.

The ‘What is to be done’ part mentions directions for putting forth a clear national narrative of Pakistan, and taking regional and international diplomatic initiative to coordinate Pakistan’s response to the US president’s Afghan strategy in consultation with the friendly countries.

The resolution also notes that it should be highlighted at every forum that India cannot be the net security provider in the South Asian region, given its belligerent relationship with all its neighbours.

“Pakistan needs to make a clear case that militants like Fazlullah and others, hiding in Afghanistan, operate against our soil,” the resolution said. “There is need for a mutually acceptable verification mechanism to look into the allegations by both Pakistan and Afghanistan of cross-border violation.”

[WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM IRFAN GHAURI IN ISLAMABAD]

A copy of the resolution available with The Express Tribune: