LAHORE: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani invited print journalists to the State Guest House in Lahore on Sunday to hold forth on the diverse issues affecting the country.
He tackled the Memogate issue head on. Although Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Nawaz Sharif has the right to take the issue to court, the issue was a trivial one and the PML-N chief’s decision was unwise, the premier said.
Gilani also questioned Nawaz’s lack of legal action on more pressing issues for Pakistanis, implying his motives were purely political in a personal sense. He added that the court’s decision should be respected and that the time for politicians to accuse each other of treason was over.
The prime minister also announced that he has asked the parliamentary committee on national security to draft a new and uniform national policy on the Kashmir issue, the nuclear arsenal and Pakistan’s new terms of engagement with the US, Nato and Isaf – without interference from ‘outsiders’, including the army.
On the Bonn conference, Gilani reiterated his justifications for Pakistan’s non-attendance, again bringing up his phone call with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in which Karzi asked the premier to reconsider the decision. He reportedly told Karzai that “your soil is being used against Pakistan” and reminded him that over 40,000 Pakistanis have died in the ‘war on terror’.
In addition, according to Gilani, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton telephoned him last night to try to persuade Pakistan to change its mind.
Gilani also said that the various committees which looked into the incident all unanimously decided to boycott the conference. He said that the “collective wisdom” had therefore made the choice. The PM feels that Pakistan can stand up to any “repercussions” from not attending the conference, adding that there would be no damage done to the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2011.
COMMENTS (11)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Every one knows that Osama Bin Laden was fighting US war when the former Soviet Union troops invaded Afghanistan. OBL turns his back from US after the SU troops left Afghanistan and a friend of US turned into a foe. Finally US got him at Abbottabad and US Navy Seal’s killed OBL on ay 02, 2011. After the death of OBL, US wanted another person who should act on its instructions. After OBL, US activated Mansoor Ijaz to destroy the peace and shaking various governments in South East Asia. The first priority of Mansoor Ijaz was how to create a chaos in Pakistan and to remove the politically elected government and then his next step will be how to deal with Pakistan’s armed forces. If the politically elected government and armed forces will not allow Mansoor Ijaz to enter its various ranks, he won’t be able to destabilize Pakistan.
Nothing is more important for 180 million people than Pakistan who own this country & not any single individual or political party.We must know who is behind this memo.
All commonwealth countries and many other allow dual citizenship. That is irrelevant.
I am somewhat disappointed in President Zardari. He is smarter that BB and he should not have endorsed an adventure like this no matter how down the army was after the OBL raid.
The fact of the matter is that for a country to be strong it needs strong and upright personalities to rule it.
Had we stood fast on the Raymond Davis issue we would not have lost our 24 jawans. Those jawans are our real heroes. No tribute is enough for them. God give strength to their dependents and families.
Pakistan is one of possibly a very few countries that allow dual nationality, because it serves the purpose of a few politicians and bureaucrats. Even Afghanistan has the self respect not to allow this. Where does one's loyalty rest, especially when you are in a position of power ??
Memogate issue is not as simple as you are trying to portray.
May God protect Pakistan from corrupt and incompetent leaders..
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: Sir I agree with you on this point. Did the double agent Mansoor Ijaz (who has never been a Pakistani) ever condemn the killing of 24 soldiers? HH has defended Pakistan even after May 2nd and we are are siding with the double agent? Where is the fairness? Regards, Mirza
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui Wow that was a refreshing comment. You are right Mansoor Ijaz has repeatedly said that he is loyal to America and American interests only. He wrote the op-ed in Financial times to defend the American army. He is a very shady character. We should think twice before accepting anything he says.
Memo gate is the media hype and it has no significance importance.
The matter is already in the Supreme Court and the nation would wait for the verdict to come from the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, I would request to all my Pakistani brothers and sisters who are working directly or indirectly not to give any more importance to Mansoor Ijaz and should not publish or telecast his interviews in print and electronic media, as we have other problems of national importance to highlight and not just one scandal.
Hussain Haqqani is a Pakistani National. We should give preference to Hussain Haqqani and not to Mansoor Ijaz, as Mansoor Ijaz is an American National, a country who deliberately killed 24 of our army jawans at Mohmand Agency.
Be Pakistani first and you will be respected by all nations.
Nawaz Sharif has shot himself on the foot by going to his friends in the SC. With the rise of PTI as King's Party, and no cooperation with the PPP the PML-N has no chance even to rule Punjab come next elections. Not just the people but even the army does not trust Sharifs anymore.
Vienna,December 5,2011 No damage to the country,but all damage and disaster for the people of the country.A unanimous decision to invite "mass suicide".I think fighters can not be counted as strategic planners. I think the time has come Pakistan should out source all survival related issues at this critical juncture without delay. Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India --Kulamarva Balakrishna