After Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani summoned an All Parties Conference to evolve national consensus policy on ongoing Pak-US tensions, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar wrote letter to the premier on Monday to summon a joint session of the parliament on national security while Opposition Leader Ch Nisar Ali Khan expressed reservations over statements of US officials against Pakistan’s security institutions in his meeting with American diplomats.
Senator Ishaq Dar in the letter addressed to the Prime Minister writes the anti-Pakistan joint briefing in Washington DC on 22nd September, 2011 by Messrs Panetta and Mullen appears to have been aimed at stemming the nosedive in the morale of US soldiers in Afghanistan.
The letter adds: “Reportedly, both persons share large responsibility for America’s failure to achieve peace objectives in Afghanistan and to protect the lives of US soldiers in that country. It seems that Pakistan came as an easy scapegoat since no creditable evidence has been offered to date by the said persons regarding the allegations elucidated by them against Pakistan.”
“Under the circumstances it is time when the solidarity of political parties and parliamentarians is needed. It is essential that a Joint Session of the Parliament be immediately summoned and a frank discussion take place. The views of stakeholders concerned in Pakistan must also be ascertained against the allegations leveled,” the letter concludes.
Meanwhile, the US embassy political counselor Jonath Prad who called on Opposition Leader Ch Nisar Ali Khan at Punjab House on Monday to discuss the current tensions between Pakistan and the US. A PML-N source said Ch Nisar had expressed strong reservations over statements made by US officials against Pakistan’s military institutions. “Ch Nisar asked diplomats that the US administration must respect Pakistan’s sovereignty and share proofs (if any) of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies clandestine links with the Haqqani network with the Pakistani government,” the source added. The source said Ch Nisar expressed sorrow over the non-recognition of Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war on terror by the United States. Separately, a US embassy official called on PML-N Chairman Raja Zafar-ul-Haq to discuss current standoff.
