Political parties reaction to NATO attack

PML-N condemns NATO’s ‘naked aggression’
PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday condemned NATO’s “naked aggression against Pakistan”. Nawaz called the NATO’s airstrike on Pakistani soil a terror attack. He said it was high time the government adopted a joint strategy and a line of action. Shahbaz said the attack on Pakistani checkpost in Mohmand Agency was a clear violation of international laws. He showed his solidarity with the martyred soldiers of the Pakistan Army. The PML-N also decided to take up the issue in parliament.

Such incidents won’t be tolerated: Barrister Masood Kausar
Expressing anger over an unprovoked attack by NATO on a Pakistani security checkpost on Saturday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar said such incidents of aggression would not be tolerated. Addressing a press conference, the governor said the incident was the most gruesome act by the NATO forces and was a severe breach of international norms as it was a violation of Pakistan’s airspace and land boundaries. He said the attack was the most serious incident and could not be tolerated, adding that the attack was unjustifiable and provocative which hurt the sentiments of the entire nation. He asked for a reaction against the act so that such incidents do not take place in future.

Assault is attack oncountry’s sovereignty: Imtiaz Safdar Warriach
Condemning the NATO attack on Pakistani checkpost, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab President Imtiaz Safdar Warriach said the assault was an attack on the sovereignty of the country. He said such actions were intolerable. He also paid tribute to the martyred soldiers of the Pakistan Army and prayed for an early recovery of the injured troops. Finance Secretary PPP Punjab Aurangzeb Barki said that PPP government would not leave any stone unturned to highlight the issue at international forums. He said that Pak Army was the strength of the country and it would safeguard our fronts at any cost.

APML wants issue raised with UN
The All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) on Saturday strongly condemned the unprovoked, pre-dawn attack by NATO forces on the Pakistani security post which claimed lives of over 20 Pakistani security personnel. APML spokesman Fawad Chaudhry urged the government to raise the issue with the United Nations. In his message, the APML spokesman said these types of acts could not deter the brave Pakistani soldiers and demanded the government thoroughly investigate it to determine the facts. He expressed solidarity with the families of the martyrs who lost their lives defending the country. He prayed for the departed souls and said that may Allah give fortitude to the families of the martyrs to bear this irreparable loss.

Retaliation must be as strong as possible: Asfandyar Wali Khan
Urging the government to react as strongly as possible against the NATO attack on a checkpost in Mohmand Agency, Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan on Saturday said the attack was not only a breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty, but also a violation of the UN mandate for NATO forces in Afghanistan. “We have asked the president and the prime minister that the government should react as strongly as possible so that such incident is repeated in the future. Such attacks are not only against the sovereignty of Pakistan and its borders but also a violation of the UN mandate. The UN’s mandate allows the NATO forces to operate within the territorial limits of Afghanistan, it does not allow it to operate outside Afghanistan,” Asfandyar Wali Khan said.

Protest against NATO attack at every forum: Firdous Ashiq Awan
Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan on Saturday vowed to protest against the NATO airstrike on Pakistani checkpost killing over 20 security forces’ personnel. Talking to reporters, she said the government would leave no stone unturned in raising the issue at all appropriate forums. She said the attack was considered an attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty. She said terrorism could not be controlled through drone attacks and NATO attacks, rather, it could result in reunion of terrorists.

NATO supply line should be closed: Munawar Hasan
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Munawar Hasan strongly condemned the firing by NATO helicopters on Salala checkpost and expressed profound grief over the martyrdom of Pakistan security personnel on Saturday. In a statement, he said the incident was the worst of its kind, adding that the attack was tantamount to a direct attack on Pakistan’s security and sovereignty. He demanded the government get the Pakistani air bases vacated at once from the US forces. Pakistan must also close the NATO supply line, he said.

Continuity of US attacks proves rulers’ failure: Sajid Mir
Jamiat Ahle Hadith chief Senator Sajid Mir on Saturday said the continuity of US attacks on Pakistani soil proved that the rulers had failed in national defence and must resign after such a brazen attack on the country’s security and sovereignty. He said the political and military leaderships was responsible for such attacks and warned that if Pakistan continued to be a partner in the US war on terror, the nation would never forgive them.

NATO strike an attack on Pakistan’s territorial integrity: Tahirul Qadri
Condemning the NATO attack, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri said it was a direct attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said the rulers should immediately raise the issue with United Nations. He said country’s foreign policy needed to be reviewed to forestall the possibility of any such incursions in future. Qadri said NATO had launched this attack on Pakistan in defiance of Pakistan’s contributions to the war on terror and immense sacrifices suffered by the people both in man and material.

NATO strike on Pakistani checkpost deplorable: Altaf Hussain
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Saturday said NATO strike on Pakistani Salala checkpost was quite deplorable and such incidents were triggering hatred against NATO forces.

Attack proves US Pakistan’s biggest enemy: Shahzad Sheikh
Hizbut Tahrir deputy spokesman Shahzad Sheikh on Saturday said the attack proved that US was the biggest enemy of Pakistan and the ‘traitors’ among our political and military leaderships were responsible for such attacks since they had been strengthening NATO forces by allowing them vital supplies from the Pakistani soil and emboldening them to make such attacks by merely condemning and protesting on their previous attacks. Sheikh said if the agent rulers had the courage to give a befitting response to past NATO attacks on Angoor Adda and the Abbottabad operation, its forces would never have the courage to attack the country.