News
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Senate body rejects US policies infringing Pakistan’s sovereignty
By Ijaz Kakakhel
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs on Friday underscored the importance of maintaining good relations with the US, but rejected its policies infringing upon Pakistan’s sovereignty.
The committee affirmed the importance of safeguarding Pakistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and rejected any tendency or approach, which cost the national honour and dignity. The committee recommended the government to reject the US policies that violate Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and resist the unilateral actions on Pakistani territory, particularly the drone strikes, which were “unacceptable”.
Earlier, the committee was informed that relations with India would not be affected following the recent Mumbai blasts and talks between Pakistan and India would be held according to the schedule. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar briefed the committee over the government’s foreign policy and impact of the Mumbai blasts over the ongoing talks process.
The meeting of the standing committee was held at the Parliament House and was chaired by Senator Saleem Saifullah. The minister of state for foreign affairs, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and other officials of the ministry briefed the committee. The standing committee directed the Foreign Ministry officials to ensure that dialogue with India be result oriented. Saleem Saifullah told the Foreign Ministry that utmost efforts should be made to discuss and resolve a number of issues with India, including water dispute, enhance trade relations and also Kashmir dispute.
Overall, the committee expressed satisfaction over the resumption of the dialogue process with India, which should be carried forward on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect and mutual interests leading to concrete results. It attached importance to the forthcoming Pakistan-India ministerial meeting in New Delhi this month.
The committee also discussed the use of Shamsi Airbase by the US. The committee recommended the government that Shamsi Airbase should not be allowed to be used by other countries.
Briefing the journalists after the meeting, Saleem Saifullah said it was not good that from a functional airbase drone attacks were carried out. He said that the Foreign Ministry had been advised not to allow US to use this base.
The committee recommended that the visa policy with regards to foreign missions in Pakistan be made the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure a transparent mechanism to protect Pakistan’s national interests. Issuing of visa to foreign personnel came under Foreign Ministry, however, the Interior Ministry should also be consulted from security point of view.
The chairman of the committee said there was a need to re-visit visa issue and other issues including intelligence sharing, economic aid and war on terror with the US. The committee suggested that there should be new agreements with the US over these issues. He said there were a number of grey areas, which needed some explanation on the part of both Pakistan and the US, and it would be better to make fresh agreements over these matters.
Over stopping of US $800 million military aid to Pakistan, the committee was informed that that $500 million in aid was stopped by the US following the decision to send American trainers back, adding that talks were underway over the release of $300 million under the Coalition Support Fund. The standing committee also directed that an investigation be conducted with regards to American trainers. The committee also discussed that relations between Pakistan and the US have been on a downward spiral since the Raymond Davis saga in January and were further strained when US Special Forces killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in a secret raid in Abbottabad.
The committee was briefed on development in the global and regional arena and Pakistan’s political and diplomatic engagements. The committee, after an in-dept review of the global strategic trends and fast-changing regional situation, affirmed the importance that Pakistan attaches to an independent foreign policy, in accordance with its national priorities and interests and in particular, in conformity with the aspirations of the people of Pakistan, as expressed in the relevant resolutions of Pakistan’s parliament.
The Senate body called upon the government to fully implement the recommendations of the parliamentary committee on national security of parliament as well as the resolution unanimously adopted by the joint sitting of parliament in May 2011.
It reaffirmed the importance of pursing polices of national self-reliance in all fields, in particular, in the fields of defence and development and strongly rejected the notion of dependency. In this context, the committee appreciated the government’s resolve to move from the concept of aid to trade. The committee noted, with satisfaction, the ongoing efforts of Pakistan to improve relations with Afghanistan and to promote reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan. In this context, the committee emphasised the importance of stability, peace and development in Afghanistan and support for the ongoing efforts of the Afghan government to promote an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led process of national reconciliation.
The chairman of the committee told journalists that for complete restoration of peace it is essential that all foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan and let the Afghan people decide about their future themselves. In presence of foreign forces, he said, restoration of peace in Afghanistan looks very difficult.
The Senate body called upon the government to continue its efforts to promote strategic cooperative partnership with China and underscored the importance of building mutually-beneficial and enduring bonds of partnership with all other members of the international community, in particular close neighbours like Iran, the Gulf Cooperation Council member states, Russia and Central Asian Republics.
It underscored the importance of Pakistan’s membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Pakistan’s early admission into the SCO. The committee called upon the government to provide adequate resources to the Foreign Ministry to enable it to optimally perform its functions and to expand its coverage in Africa and Latin America.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk