OBL operation: Pakistan needs to change its policies towards US

Public needs to be told the truth, demand senator, analysts.

Guests on last night’s Express 24/7 show Witness with Quatrina Hosain called for the government to revise its policies towards terrorism and the US to protect its sovereignty and maintain its integrity in light of Osama Bin Laden’s death at a compound in Abbottabad.

Quatrina Hossain hosted Senator Tariq Azeem of the PML-Q, and analyst Haris Khalique in the studios. Senator Prof. Khurshid Ahmed of the JuI joined them via a video link.

The fallout from Osama Bin Laden’s death and how it had reflected upon the government and its relations with the US, was debated during the course of the program.

Senator Tariq Azeem offered his view saying that while he did not know, as with many others in the country, that he did not know what was going on in the aftermath of OBL’s death. The need of the hour was to have a Parliamentary commission conduct an inquiry in to the event and bring the truth to the people.

Senator Khurshid Ahmed admitted that while OBL was an intelligence failure, he stressed that the perceived failings did not in any way make Pakistan’s nuclear assets vulnerable. It would be better to delink Pakistan from the War on Terror as the impact of aid received from the US as part of the alliance had been marginal compared to the costs that Pakistan has incurred. While calling for heads to roll, he said that the challenges facing Pakistan could not be countered until and unless we set our own house in order and be truthful to the people.

Analyst, Haris Khalique said that Pakistan had been focussed on India for too long and now there was an implosion within the country.

He added that there has been a communication and policy failure which has led to Pakistan being a safe haven for terrorists and 35,000 Pakistanis have been killed over the past decade. Unless the judicial system, education, health and other basic institution do not start working, things cannot be improved.

Senator Ahmed said that Pakistan’s fundamental policy towards US and towards India needs to be revised. He termed Pakistan’s inability to wean itself off American dependence lay in the failure of our institutions, governance, misusing resources and management.