US diplomats: Opposition expresses concern over recent developments

Senate chairman asks Foreign Affairs Ministry to brief house on Pakistan-US relations

ISLAMABAD: Expressing concerns over a recent new low in the US-Pakistan relationship, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Sherry Rehman on Friday called upon the government to take tangible steps to avoid further strain.

Rehman criticised the government for not explaining to the parliament the actual happenings in the recent days involving restrictions imposed by the US on movement of Pakistani diplomats and a 'reciprocal' response Pakistan intends to impose on American diplomats stationed across the country.

Speaking on a point of public importance, Rehman, who belongs to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), said absence of a foreign minister after last month's disqualification of Khawaja Asif has left the country high and dry as currently there is no one to fight Pakistan's case efficiently.

"Pakistan wants cordial relations with international world. And the recent low in relations with the US is not a good sign. But, at the same time we should take decisions on our own to safeguard Pakistan's sovereignty," she said.

Sherry Rehman, who has also served as Pakistan's ambassador to the US, also condemned the United Nations Security Council's failure to place on its sanctions list Umer Khalid Khurasani, chief of a terrorist outfit, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar.



She said the government needs to explain the actual situation to the parliament. "The government's indifferent attitude is clearly evident by the fact that it has no concern to prioritise the national interests and security issues," she said.

Rehman's speech forced the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to summon foreign minister or his representative to brief the house on the issues in the next sitting.

"Foreign minister or a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Ministry should appear in house proceedings on Monday to reply to questions raised in the Senate today," the chairman ruled.

US sanctions on Iran

Another PPP Senator Rehman Malik also drew attention of the house towards Washington's decision to pull out of the nuclear deal with Tehran saying Islamabad should take precautionary measures as the sanctions would have a serious impact on the country.

"The US sanctions would have a discernible, deleterious impact on Pakistan as there will also be travel restrictions. Thousands of pilgrims go to Iran every year to visit holy sites and if a ban is imposed, such visits will be stopped," he added.

BB's murder case

After the National Assembly, the PPP also raised the issue of release of the accused in Benazir Bhutto murder case in the Senate. Sherry Rehman said all the members in the Senate irrespective of their party affiliation and anyone who supports democracy must fight for justice in Benazir's murder case.

"We will appeal in every forum and knock on every door if it comes to that. If not only to honour her legacy and service for her country, the people of Pakistan, in the interest of their security, ought to know what happened.



"The PPP would never promote hate-driven politics in the backdrop of her murder," she added.

House gives the nod to 13 bills

Adopting an unusual practice the house passed a record 13 bills – already cleared by the National Assembly – after deliberating on them in marathon meetings of the House Business Advisory Committee.

Following passage of the bills, Senate Chairman Sanjrani said the Senate would continue to play its role in doing legislation aimed at welfare and betterment of people of Pakistan.

The bills passed by the upper house included the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Bill; the Institute for Art and Culture Bill; the Institute of Science and Technology Bahawalpur; Sir Syed-CASE (Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering) Institute of Technology, Islamabad Bill and the Establishment of the Federal Bank for Cooperatives and Regulation of Cooperative Banking (Repeal) Bill.

The y also included the House Building Finance Corporation (Repeal) Bill; the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill; the Islamabad Healthcare Regulation Bill; the Health Services Academy (Restructuring) Bill; the Women in Distress and Detention Fund (Amendment) Bill; the Juvenile Justice System Bill and the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection Bill.