Speaking to the media outside the Parliament House after the National Security Committee meeting, Khar said that she was confident because Pakistan did the internal re-evaluation that was needed. “[It] will not only strengthen the space within the country or give us ownership of our foreign policy… but it will also strengthen the partnership that we pursue with any other country.”
The foreign minister added that the relationship between Pakistan and the US is on hold and it will be restored on a ‘clearly defined mandate’ from the parliament. “It will be a partnership which has less gray areas, which has a clear mandate of the public and parliament of Pakistan; and therefore, we will be able to pursue this partnership much more vigorously,” she added.
An envoys conference was recently held in Islamabad to review the foreign policy of the country, where the foreign minister said that Pakistan does not wish to ruin its relationship with the US or engage in any war. The recommendations formulated during the conference were put forward before the National Security Committee today.
The foreign minister also said that Pakistan should not be bothered by the cut in the US aid.
A legislation, recently passed by the US House of Representatives, froze roughly $700 million in aid to Pakistan pending assurances that Islamabad has taken steps to thwart militants who use improvised explosive devices (IEDs) against US-led forces in Afghanistan.
COMMENTS (74)
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@MarkH: is it really??? according to some 9/11 is CIA's inside job!
@hedgefunder: I say THANK YOU to Uncle Sam,also Pakistan will do great w/o any support,just as India did.
@Mahi: Don't worry Uncle Sam has already decided to leave you lot to your own devices !!! We will see where pakistan is in few years time !!!!
@Raj: Thank you VERY much for your comment,so basically what you mean is we don't have enough money to fight terrorists,right?I'd still say GET OUT USA we can do it better without you. @your last line,why do you bother so much about Pakistan?If YOU can improve your economy with such huge population than we are one/fourth of your total population,why do you think we can't improve,yes maybe we need money to fight the terrorists but we DON'T need US,it's our land let us fight our enemies our own.Thank you.
@Mahi: Yes very good idea, however have checked with the Army???? Can you afford to take on anyone at present???? Even your assets as they are known ??? Patriotism is nice and healthy for a Nation and its people but here its rather hollow and empty, with state of your economy functioning, Taxation , an impossible task and dependence on Aid as only source of Income, simply do not make Nations with any Clout !!!
@rehmat: Both:P It wasn't our war initially,it IS our war now,and if we HAVE to fight terrorists why not do it WITHOUT US?
@Optimist: Who cares? Nobody asked them to bomb the US on 9/11. It's still on their shoulders.
@sick of this nonsense: Just answer 1 question...how many Suicide attacked took place in Pakistan before 9/11???
@Laila J: Rightly said. @Optimist: Post 9/11 we were ignoring the problem. The result is being shown now. Country can never progress unless Taliban is wiped clean.
@faraz:
Taliban AKA Mujaheedin were strategic assets of US during the cold war.
My dear why do we keep missing the point America created them -the Taliban. The US used them against USSR than and using them as an excuse against us NOW to get to their hidden agenda . War is not a solution..has never been... It is THE problem in fact ..Europeans realized it ages ago hence the formation of EU.
"Pakistan to fight war on terror on its own terms"
Well, what are those terms?
Don't rush us - we will tell you once US tells us what it is
To say this is not our war is a fallacy and only those who are sympathetic with the Taliban will say so. Taliban have done more damage to us than anyone else and we still think India is our enemy. The Indians are made out to be our enemy so that we are forced to put money into the defence budget. We need to put money into our schools and hospitals first. There is no need to play a double game with US. Tell them what we will and will not do instead of lies and deceit. They are nobodys friend only an ally when it is suitable. Even China is just an Ally when it suits them. We claim great friendship with them and yet if you lived there you would not even be allowed to practice your religion because it is against communist principles.
@Its Economy Stupid:
Please be patient - it is in draft stage in the US congress. Once it is finalized, it will sent to pakistan !
@Mahi:
At one point you say "What is up with you guys?I’ve already stated why I think the war is NOT ours.". At another point you say "yes the war is OURS but we don’t want to fight the war with US as our ally"
So which is it - IS it your war or not?
@Ghaznavi: "Pakistan is out of US alliance, while India becomes the US poodle in the region. "
Even when India's GDP was one tenth of what it is today, it had remained non-aligned. Unlike Pakistan it did not rent its army for hire in lieu of cash.So now there is all the more no reason for India to act subservient to US. India truly believes in the concept of Friends not masters while Pakistan just says it. If you see another post - your foreign secretary is complaining about the cut in aid. Shows who is a poodle and who is not.
@Observer: Are you Indian,you do sound like one?And to answer your qs yes the war is OURS but we don't want to fight the war with US as our ally.As for haqqani etc it's NOT proved yet.
@faraz: I own my statement,let us fight our enemies,no matter whatever reason Pakistani govt joined hands with US for,even if it's our fight we can do it better w/o USA so thanks but no thanks.We'll do fine without US.
An apology is NOT enough. The US military and CIA still have FIVE (5) bases in Pakistan.
Terms must include: Total, complete and full withdrawal of all US troops, CIA personnel and military contractors. Close all US consulates and downsize US Embassy in Islamabad to less than 100 staff.
Shahbaz/Jacobabad – armed CIA drones still operate Chaklala – PAF base with a permanent US military presence, base handles US equipment logistics Quetta – PAF base which the Pentagon is able to make use of the base "as and when needed" Tarbela – US Army Chinook helicopters stationed Peshawar - Pakistan Air Force base, the site handles US troop logistics transiting between locations
@joke, you must be joking that Pakistan needs US money to live, it is very recently, that Pakistan went on nuclear, and Pakistan did it when there was no money coming in from any foreign country. Now that Pakistan has nuclear technology, if US is out of the region, Pakistan will have no hurdle to sell this technology and make money. WE have proved it many times in Pakistan's history that when Pakistan was not getting any money we were creative and productive. As far as the money coming in from USA, Pakistan is losing four times of that money in war, this money is not enough for the war that Pakistan is fighting for the US, let alone the loss of economic revenue, internal situation is also due to this war, unemployment is on its high, that lead to frustration and then crime.
There are so many folks here saying 'This is not our war'. Now does that mean Pakistan is ready to wash off its hands from the Haqqanis and other outfits they support and walk out of the whole afghan equation? Answer: NO. So, it is your war my friend!
The GOP should necessarily clarify to the people of Pakistan and US in details the so called OWN TERMS which the Pak foreign minister has strongly stated. A white paper needs to be issued in this regard for the satisfaction of both parties so that this burning issue can be put to rest.
@Mahi
In international relations, there is no such thing as pleasing someone. There was a UN resolution against Taliban, and after US bombing, Taliban moved into FATA. Due to geography, we had no other option. In fact, the state deliberately played a double game, and allowed Taliban to enter in FATA.
We nurtured hundreds of thousands of extremists to wage proxy wars. Now they have turned against the state. We have to deal with them, and expel all kinds of foreign extremists from our land.
@ali:
What makes you think they are interested in "negotiations"?
Their minimal condition will be to declare "sharia".
@Skin Taj: We will be bombed into oblivionby the rest of the world. Wake up to the real world.
Better late than never: lets get out of USA war on terrror which as a matter of fact USA Itself is not owning and trying to find escape goats
@maestro: Wow, you can hear eh ? The term sand niggers is for Arabs, please for god sake at least come to USA before even saying that you know what their slang means.
@Sonia Chughtai
The deadliest suicide attack in Pakistan’s history was carried out by Taliban against the Jirga of tribesmen in Orakzai which killed over 220 people. Over 1500 tribesmen have been killed by Taliban in Kurram. Hundreds have died of conflict between Taliban, Ansar Islam and Lashkar Islam. Taliban killed over 900 Maliks across FATA. Hundreds of tribesmen have been slaughtered after being declared as spies. Taliban attacked van carrying children in Khyber; they bombed bazaars, and fired rockets and mortars on tribal population that is against them. They carried out suicide attacks against jirgas and funerals of tribesmen. There are dozens of lashkars operating against Taliban in FATA who have lost hundreds of men. Thousands of non-pushtoon militants are present in FATA. Which pushtoons are you talking about?
It is good to hear that Pakistan should not be bothered about cut in us aid, but how long and why us envoy has not been deported from the land. And the issue is only 26 uniformed people, what about thousands of People (including women and children) who were brutally droaned during list 10 years???
Get out of this war asap. Negotiate with all, on then peace will prevail.
@faraz: Looks like you missed my point,all I meant was when we affirmed to fight this war it was mainly to please US,since the then govt was not interested to face the consequences,we let Afgan refugees enter our territory after this and see what did the war did to us?Initially it wasn't our war,was it?even now I don't think we need anyone's help,I don't remember US's intervention during the 65 or 71 wars if we can hadle our issues and fight our enemy in the past then we can fight them now too with or w/o US's help.Thank you.
After shamelessely accepting 20 billiion dollars from US since 2001 for arming eventual enemies to combat perceived antagonist, we finally want the international community to believe we dont need your charity Uncle Sam.
If she thinks we should not be "bothered" by the cut in US assistance, she needs a crash course in macroeconomics and financing gaps that have to be filled one way or the other ex-post!
@Laila J: but all this never used to happen before indulging into so called war on 'terror' :) you kill pashton children, women, men, old , young.. and you call it 'terrorism' when they strike back. THATS what is wrong with fighting for US.
A Punjabi.
@Mahi
Is Malakand, FATA part of US? Are US schools being blown up? Blown up Imam Bargahs, Mazars, mosques and markets are all based in Pakistan. 40,000 have died in Pakistan at the hands of strategic assets that we nurtured over past 3 decades. So who else would deal with these elements?
@Indian: Yea wait till they stab you in the back when they don't need you anymore like they did with us after 60 years of "alliance". And they call all 7/11 and motel owners in the US "sand niggers" - I have heard it millions of times - lols. Enjoy your new found "friendship" with the US - you will learn your lesson soon..
@Skin Taj: this was sarcastic... say yes for god sake. pakistan import all its reactors from china. all the reactors are bought from china, not adhering to it? google it or check all old news
hahaha!!!
so finally state recognition of a fact that this war is " if not previously, but now it is PAKISTAN'S WAR"
@Hu Jintao: Ditto. I believe it's time for Pakistan to realize what's good for the nation.
we should sell NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY ( for peaceful purposes). There are MANY buyers in the world. At the end of the day we HAVE TO get money to run the country !!!!!!!!! SOONER the better....otherwise soon this technology will be mastered by so many other countries !!!!
@Optimist: I agree with you man,it's NOT our fight anyways.
@Optimist: I'm so with you on NOT fighting any wars,it's NOT our fight anyways:(
I totally disagree with your statement as Pakistan has nothing to do with the so called " War on Terror" as it is an open secret now that USA & its allies are playing a great game here in our region in the name of " War on Terror " and our government should review the foreign policy in the national interest.
The only certain way of having a "clear mandate of the public" is to hold a referendum, asking such questions as should we continue killing our own people, or allowing others to do so, should we permanently block supplies to US Forces etc.
I think all of us know the answers the public will give to such questions. Let us see if Mrs Khar can match her brave and noble utterances with corresponding action. Otherwise is simply empty talk, aka caving in. The world's greatest champion of Democracy should heartily approve of such a referendum. Please hold one Mrs Khar.
As usual, Pakistan is expert in 'spinning'. They have really mastered the art. They can justify anything and everything they do - and if no other argument is possible then there is the final one - supreme national interest.
@frank, You are a sympathiser to terrorism if you think 9/11 is not terrorism. If you condone a crime like terrorism which is to kill totally innocent people like in a pakistani bank by taliban to take revenge against pakistani army/government then you should think one second being in the receiving end of terrorism before you speak.
What terms may that be??? Ones set by ISI, Army??? Or perhaps bit of wishful thinking to show the NA, that you really are the decision maker here!!!!!
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar please be advised that in all Pakistan and its leadership she is the key for to mending U.S Pak re-alations. NSA Team Pak see's change in Pakistan to the level the Bhutto's drive for democracy and we see that in you!! Thank you for being responsive and going the extra mile!!!
@frank: and add IRAQ also....and act VIETNAM...and add COMBODIA....and add LIBIYA..list is endless and the perpetrators (US)are claiming to be MORAL WATCHDOG in the universe.
@frank: Bravo, well said
@Laila J: You are right that Talibans have committed the attrocities against the humanity. You shouldn't forget the US has committed monsterous attrocities against the humanity. Since 1945, American army have slaughtered 10 Million people. Please listen/watch on utube factual comments made by prominent Journalist John Pilger on this topic.
So surrender plans are confirmed officially?
REALLY!!!
Let the CHACHA G USA handle their own mess themselves.
We need to get out of this War OF Terror
Pakistan is out of US alliance, while India becomes the US poodle in the region. India needs to send its troops to Afghanistan to safeguard the corrupt and inept Karzai 'the puppet'. Let Indian blood be shed to save American blood. The cozier India will get to US, the better for Pakistan!!
@Khar, Fighting is very far, first try to stop supporting terrorists.
“Pakistan will fight the war on terrorism according to its own terms and conditions” Madam Minister would you be kind enough to define what those terms and conditions are? In democracy government explains its policies to its constituents, allows them to evaluate and provide a feedback rather than talk in a coded language.
@Laila J What ever you have mentioned started post 9-11 (which i have reasons to believe was an inside job) .We have lived in peace with these so called Taliban since forever.
Vienna,December 15,2011 Sounds great. Pakistani parliament spels the terms. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs implements. Terms of adversaries left with them under lock and key so simple.That excludes the terms set by terrorists of course.Reason:They are Pakistan´s internal terms. Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India --Kulamarva Balakrishna
War against terrorism? The three biggest acts of 'terrorism' in recent history are the firebombing of Tokyo and the nuclear attacks on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. You don't need me to tell you who was responsible for those, do you?
Optimist, how could you ever even say that!? Those talibans have threatened and killed so many of our beloved Pakistanis, murdered, harassed, whipped and humiliated publicy so many times..really, is this not our war? Talibans coming into our land, terrorizing our communities, taking hostages, blasting buildings and homes.. destroying innocent lives. Is it really not our war? Theres a reason why Pakistan agreed to fighting this war against terrorism it wasn't just for the free aid..not a day went by when dozens were kille in a blast nearby...
and just what are these terms. Can someone please spell them out.
You mean we have been fighting the war on terror with one hand tied around our backs? More than 35,000 Pakistani citizens have died. What is Ms Khar trying to say here?
every body is hoping for continued persistence this time.. fingers crossed
Thumbs up..!!
Cant we just not fight it Ms Khar??? its not our war for heavens sake!!!!!!