News
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Pakistan hits back at USStop sending ‘wrong messages’: Gilani
KARACHI: Reacting to recent outbursts by top US officials against Pakistan, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said the United States should avoid sending ‘wrong messages’ which would affect the bilateral ties between the two counties.
Gilani, who was talking to media, said, “Our 180 million people want to defend their motherland and its sovereignty,” Gilani said, adding that the “United States cannot live with us and without us. Thus the US should avoid sending ‘wrong messages’ which would affect the bilateral ties.” He said the US should take into consideration the feelings of the 180 million people of Pakistan while issing statements or commenting on important issues.
The PM acknowledged that the US was an important country and Pakistan wanted good relations with it, which should be based on mutual respect and mutual interests. He said such messages would create political problems for the government of Pakistan in promoting relations between the two the countries. He reiterated the government’s policy of self-respect, economic solidarity and independence.
About the US statement regarding Haqqani network, he said Pakistan was a part of solutions in Afghanistan and not a part of problems there. No compromise would be acceptable on Pakistan’s sovereignty, he said, adding that a stable Afghanistan was in the interests of Pakistan. Gilani asserted that the US cannot effectively fight the war on terror without Pakistan, and asked Washington to increase contacts with the country to remove misunderstandings. He urged the US to avoid issuing statements unacceptable to the Pakistani public. To a question, the PM said he had cancelled his US visit to personally monitor the relief and rehabilitation operations in the flood-affected areas. masroor afzal pasha/agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk