PTI chief says seeking US Congressional approval is not a source of international legitimisation. PHOTO: FILE
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has criticised President Obama’s unilateral decision to attack Syria on suspicion of use of chemical weapons and urged the US to respect international laws in a statement on Monday.
Strongly condemning the US president’s remarks about Syria, PTI chief Imran Khan said, “It is time to respect international laws and the collective security system defined in Chapter VII of the UN Charter, as reasserted by the international community.”
President Barack Obama reportedly made a case for launching a limited military strike against Syria in retaliation for the chemical weapons attack mounted presumably by the regime forces in Damascus last month.
PTI Chairman said that the issue of use of chemical weapons is being investigated by the UN’s inspectors and any action based on the report submitted by these inspectors must be premised on and have sanction of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) under Chapter VII of the Chapter.
“Unilateral military action against a sovereign member state of the UN is against the UN Charter and international law and the powerful cannot be allowed to break these international norms with impunity,” Khan declared adding, “that is the only way to protect the global community from intra-state and inter-state excesses and abuse.”
The PTI chief, however, reiterated that the US president’s decision to seek US Congressional approval for unilateral military action was an internal political issue and not a source of international legitimisation.
“Even in that context, US Secretary of State John Kerry’s declaration that Congressional approval was not required was a reflection of the militaristic policies pursued by the Obama administration during its previous and present tenure in office,” Khan said.
He also pointed out that Pakistan had suffered from this US cavalier militaristic approach in the illegal drone attacks against its citizens.
It’s also pertinent to mention here that members of Congress of both parties in the United States made it clear that the lawmakers will not support the current draft of a resolution authorising President Obama to launch a military strike against Syria.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has accused Syrian government forces of killing 1,429 people in a chemical weapons attack in Damascus last week.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2013.
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How about a "clear stance" condemning TTP for striking Pakistan daily.
IK is right on this issue. On one hand, you have Assad and his allies. On the other hand you see, Qatar, Saudi,Turkey and the west. The argument is not about deposing Assad which I think should happen peacefully. It is about US supporting the same militants that thy have been fighting for years. It is also about double standards of the US. Did they not learn their lesson from Lybia? When it comes to countries like Russia, they are known allies of Syria. They will protect their own interests in reaction to this war hysteria smoked up by US administration. I am sure you would take time to read the profiles of Al Nusra, the Syrian opposition as well as watch videos of FSA terrorists biting on a Syrian soldier's heart. These nuckle heads don't want democracy. They want wahabiism, much like their masters, Saudi and Qatar?
So when IK finallys decides to open his mouth about the events in Syria it is to condemn the US and not the dictator who has massacred 100,000 of his own people? Howcome IK has nothing to say about Iran, Hezbollah and Russia violating international law by supplying arms and fighters to Syria? Does IK even know what is actually goign on in Syria? He seems to like to give anti-us statements for the sake of it.