ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has launched a formal protest with the United States over allegations of spying by the NSA, according to PPP Secretary General Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Express News reported on Sunday.
"Spying is a violation of international law,” said Ashraf in a letter to the US ambassador.
The letter further urged the US to amend their laws to maintain bilateral ties.
According to a statement released on July 2, the PPP urged the government to raise the issue at the diplomatic level and get assurances from the US that such grave violations of international law are not repeated.
“The revelation of spying on a major political party of Pakistan is a grave, unwarranted and totally unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign country and is condemned,” said a PPP spokesperson.
He stated that PPP owes no explanation to a foreign government, and foreign governments and spy agencies do not have the right to spy on it.
“Such insensitive operations and unacceptable interference in the affairs of a political party of a sovereign country will serve no purpose except to increase resentment and distrust,” he added.
Earlier, Pakistan had also formally lodged a protest with the US in light of recent media reports indicating that that it is among the countries subject to surveillance by US government departments.
“The US Embassy in Islamabad was conveyed today that such an action against Pakistani government departments or other organizations, entities and individuals is not in accord with international law and recognised diplomatic conduct," a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
The ministry further said that it has urged the US to stop such activities in the interest of friendly ties. “The US side was further conveyed that surveillance was contrary to the spirit of friendly relations between our two countries,” the press release added.
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I'm wondering why and how the PPP has suddenly woken up to this issue.... They knew about this during their time in government.... their own minister was going around offering access to govt databases... and yet they kept quiet!
@unbelievable: Scrutiny??? Irrespective of the fact that OBL was there with the support or not, Pakistan is not American state that it deserve scrutiny. Though our politicians are slaves of foreign powers.
On the topic: Why are they crying now? They gave free hand to americans so they should face the music.
How's that Abbottabad investigation coming? Where's the report that suppose to answer all those questions about how OBL could live within the shadow of your military academy and who was helping him? If any country or organization on the planet deserved scrutiny by American intelligence agencies it's Pakistan - including the PPP.
In other countries, the government would have taken the notice and lodged a formal complaint against spying of its citizens. In Pakistan, the government has been busy wooing the rootthay balima.
After effects of NRO that US sponsored. Protest note sent by PPP leadership to US Ambassador has no significance except Public Relation exercise.