ISLAMABAD:
The cabinet will hold another special meeting next week to formally review the country’s role in the war in Afghanistan.
Officials told The Express Tribune on Friday that the meeting, planned for December 8, will proceed on decisions taken in a meeting in Lahore last week and formalise a strategy on how Pakistan can reassess its terms of engagement with the US.
“We do not have any formal agenda other than discussing the precarious situation after the Nato attacks and the Supreme Court decision on the memo scandal,” a cabinet member said. Pakistan’s top civilian and military leaders have said that the country will not go on working on the same terms in the war on terror. Last week, Gilani told CNN that there would no more be “business as usual” with the US.
The cabinet member said that since there is much anger in the country over the attacks, the government will have to take a strong stand on the issue. “We need to strike a balance…being a political and democratically elected government it is more important for us to be sensitive to public anger,” he added.
In the meeting in Lahore last Tuesday, the federal cabinet had decided to boycott a key meeting next week on the Afghan endgame in Bonn, Germany.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2011.
COMMENTS (8)
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Pakistan should not any more protect the interest of US and Afghanistan in the region.
We are not a contractor to build a new Afghanistan which was ruined by US after waging a war on Afghanistan in search of Al-Qaeda and Taliban after 9/11 attacks.
It was Pakistan’s courtesy that we were helping US in Afghanistan but since US has not only turned its back from Pakistan as usual but also started killing our soldiers (who were the allies of US and NATO) and even does not accept it.
Whether US pullout its forces from Afghanistan or not, we should not interfere in Afghanistan-US affairs, as it is not our baby.
Pakistan should take a strict stance and should not play on the back foot.
This is not classified information which would be leaked by the Wikileaks, but an unanimous decision of the government as well as people of Pakistan.
The only way out of this miss is to dismentle the infrastructure of terror. Eliminate the safe havens of terrorist or let US/NATO do it for us. Gone are days when Pakistan was able to use mollas as proxies for foreign policies gains or startegic depth. The consequences of keeping the old habits could be fatal. The world is not going to allow it any more. Get ready for rough ride in 2012 & possibly in 2013.
This decision is sixty-four years LATE. Very late and thanx to our FEUDOCRATS.
As made to under-stand, it was Choudary Zafarullah who convinced the cabinet of Liaquat Ali Khan to decline the Soviet offer and accept the US offer. So what is done is done. Now dont repent but rejoice at the reality that looking inwards will give you a sense of pride of perfor-mance and start building your country. DAWN newspaper carries beautiful quotes every Friday; here is one: "It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees." (Dolores Ibarrari)
Salams to the Pakistani nation
I am a Pakistani but I honestly do not understand what getting out of this war means? Does it mean Pakistan will stop fighting against taliban and suicide bombers and let them take over? Does it mean Pakistani army will stop interfering in Afghanistan and leave the country on its own to protect pakistan? Does it mean Pakistan will break all ties with US and the westren world? Or does it simply mean we would stop US from using our land to transport supplies to its forces in Afghanistan?
So can somebody please enlighten me what does it mean by getting out of this war?
Decide but don't go overboard. Demoralized and hollow as we are shall we be able to sustain the wrath of one whom we have been worshiping as our protector and benefactor? Go slow. Be firm but don't be angry. It will take time and resolve to extricate the country from the mesh of adverse relationship with the US. The reward be singularly precious, -ability to hold the head high. But it will need sacrifice from the leaders. Are any of them prepared for it? So, better give up and agree to work at the old wages.
if govt honestly sticks to this!! we are with you!! honestly speaking.Pakistan needs to get out of this war!! however, we can continue to fight against the taliban.US is trying to win their votes and stabilize Afghanistan at the expense of peole of Pakistan! thts not gona happen anymore!!
This issue is now like a live and let die.it is is still not late if our govertment take steps seriesly with the Afganistan.