Resolving that Pakistan would not bow before US pressure, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Wednesday told the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs that the government’s decision of getting the Shamsi Airbase vacated from the US and not attending the Bonn Conference was final.
Briefing the committee on “memogate”, Hina said the Foreign Office had no record with reference to the alleged letter of Mansoor Ijaz. “The government wrote no letter to any US general… this memo was fabricated and such concocted stories have been published in past against Pakistan,” she observed.
Commenting on NATO strikes, Hina said, “Enough is enough … the government will not tolerate any incident of spilling of even a single drop of blood of any civilian or soldier.” She said the motive behind the recent reaction of Pakistan on Mohmand incident was to ensure national security and sovereignty.
Khar said a notice had been sent to the US in connection with vacation of the Shamsi Airbase. “Red lines were violated repeatedly,” she stated. “We will not stay silent over the situation anymore … if ISAF will not guarantee the sovereignty of Pakistan, Pakistan reserves the right to take any decision for national interests,” she remarked, adding that Pakistan would not bow before US pressure.
Hina said Pakistan had been playing a responsible role for peace in the region. “The sacrifices rendered by Pakistan in the war on terror were more than any other country’s … NATO supply line has been suspended in the light of parliament’s resolution,” she said.
The minister said only extending an apology would not work, as not only soldiers were martyred in the incident, but Pakistan’s sovereignty was also attacked.
The minister said the government was also reviewing its relations with the US and coalition forces. “We are a sovereign state and we will not allow our sovereignty to be tainted. Pakistan’s role in the war on terror cannot be overlooked,” she added. Hina was of the view that Mansoor Ejaz had targeted the Pakistan Army and ISI and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had sanctioned an inquiry into the “memogate” issue by Parliamentary Committee for National Security.
She said the prime minister had decided to remove Hussain Haqqani from his office, as several questions were raised in respect of him. She said the reports about the overthrowing of democratic government were baseless.
The committee recommended the government take up the issue of NATO attack with the United Nations and parliament be taken into confidence over the matter. The committee also directed the Foreign Ministry to bring Pakistan’s term of engagement with the US in writing and must not strike deals with the US verbally ever again.
Committee Chairman Senator Salim Saifullah Khan said Pakistan should not lose this opportunity to inform the world of its viewpoint. He said Pakistan had a bad track record regarding investigation commissions in the past.
Apologies won’t change Pakistan’s stance: Hina
