No compromise on Pakistan’s dignity: Parliamentary Committee on National Security decides

Parliamentary committee's next meeting on US allegations to include officials of defence institutions

PHOTO: EXPRESS

A Parliamentary Committee on National Security, which met in the federal capital on Thursday to deliberate over the recent statements made by the US President Donald Trump, expressed the resolve not to make any compromise on dignity and honour of the country.

Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq presided over the meeting, said Radio Pakistan.



The in-camera proceeding was attended by Minister for Foreign Affairs Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah. Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI)Shah Mehmood Qureshi, PPP's Sherry Rehman and former law minister Zahid Hamid were also in attendance.

The committee discussed matters relating to national security, especially in the backdrop of anti-Pakistan statements emanating from Washington.

Speaking to media representatives after the meeting, Sadiq said, all political parties in Pakistan were united to safeguard interests of the country.

“We want engagement with the United States but with dignity and honour,” clarified the speaker National Assembly.

He said another meeting of the committee would be convened soon to chalk out a plan to meet any eventuality.

“The officials of defence institutions will also be invited to the next meeting,” Sadiq informed the media.

He said that Thursday’s meeting reviewed the anti-Pakistan statements emanating from the US Administration and the participants tried to understand the entire situation.



“National security relates to issues that may threaten the survival of our nation, and therefore, we will have to forge unity among our ranks,” Ayaz Sadiq told the participants of the meeting earlier.

Relations between Pakistan and the US have been tensed after Trump on Monday tweeted that the US ‘foolishly’ gave aid to Pakistan over the course of 15 years but Islamabad remained deceitful by providing safe havens to ‘terrorists’ from Afghanistan. Pakistan’s Foreign Office had also summoned US Ambassador David Hale later that night and lodged a protest against the tweet.