Urging the parliament and its committees to define Pakistan’s options in the current US-Pakistan stand-off, PILDAT has asked the parliamentarians to shun indifference and proactively discharge their responsibility to oversee the national security, foreign affairs and defense of the country.
“While Pak-US relations face a deepening conflict after the September 13 attack on US embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul and most scathing criticism and serious charges are leveled on Pakistan in a mounting chorus from US institutions – from Pentagon to CIA to US Congress and Congressional Committees – Pakistan’s Parliament and a number of its committee charged with the responsibility to oversee national security, foreign affairs and defense, seem to be indifferent”, said a press release issued by Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) on Friday.
It said it was the Parliament’s responsibility, as elected public representatives, to oversee the country’s foreign and security policies. “In keeping with its poor tradition of playing no role in a crisis or in influencing policy, Parliament and its committees seem unaffected by the challenges Pakistan faces, especially vis-à-vis the disquiet and mounting pressure in Pak-US relations,” it said. The press release added that US Congress committees, especially the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee, met since after the September 13 Kabul incident with US Defence Secretary Leon E. Panetta, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen had testified before the former.
The Senate Appropriations Committee reportedly passed a bill making ‘all’ US financial assistance to Pakistan conditional with cooperation against the Haqqani network and other terror groups associated with al Qaeda. “A look at the dismal performance of parliamentary committees charged with the responsibility to oversee Pakistan’s national security and defense policies reveals that these committees have failed to examine the serious issues confronting Pakistan, let alone offer policy advice on behalf of the people of Pakistan”, PILDAT said.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by ANP leader, Asfandyar Wali Khan MNA, last met on June 06, 2011 to meet the British Ambassador to Afghanistan. The National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee has met only 17 times in three and a half years since formation in 2008.The Committee chairman himself was absent in 10 out of 17 meetings. The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs headed by Senator Salim Saifullah did not meet after the current crisis and has held only 11 meetings since its formation.
The Parliamentary Committee on National Security, headed by Senator Raza Rabbani, met last meeting on August 18 2011 and has held 35 meeting, all in-camera, since its formation in November 2008. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence, chaired by MNA Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, last met as a full committee on June 29 2011 to discuss PNS Mehran attack, a month after the attack. The Committee only met 27 times since its delayed formation in February 2009 after 2008 general election.
The Senate Standing Committee on Defense & Defense Production, chaired by Senator Javed Ashraf, held its last meeting on August 01, 2011 on a matter relating to PIA. It held 26 meetings, 13 meetings on average per year, since its formation in July 2009.
