Punjab Assembly condemns Biden’s remarks

The Punjab Assembly on Monday passed a resolution condemning United States President Joe Biden’s comments casting aspersions about Pakistan’s nuclear weapons with majority votes from the treasury benches while PML-N members protested over the phrase “imported government” not being deleted from the text despite repeated requests.

As the resolution was moved, the PML-N lawmakers said they had no objection over the content of the resolution except the words “imported government”. They demanded removal of what they called an objectionable word.

However, PTI’s Ali Afzal Sahi continued reading the resolution.

Finally the resolution was passed with majority as the PML-N did not vote for it and its lawmakers continued creating ruckus against the government’s conduct of not accepting their demand.

"This house strongly condemns the US President Joe Biden’s comments on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. Pakistan is one of the important, responsible and sole Islamic nuclear state amongst world’s largest seven nuclear countries," the resolution asserted.

It added that no one should be in doubt that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are in safe hands. "The world recognises that our nuclear command and control system is one of the safest in the world. Pakistan knows well how to protect its nuclear assets," it added.

It noted that the US had been involved in several wars and had twice carried out nuclear attacks on civilians.

Terming the statement tantamount to attacking Pakistan’s independence and sovereignty, it said the US president’s remarks had not only proved negligence but also exposed a failed foreign policy of the "imported government".

The assembly demanded that the government take strict notice of the statement and seek an explanation with a strong demand to the US to tender apology over it.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2022.