Imran condemns PCNS resolution passage

PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Friday strongly condemned the unanimous passage by parliament of the PCNS resolution seeking to redefine Pakistan-US relations.
“What benefit will this resolution be to the people of Pakistan who have seen over 40,000 of their fellow citizens die in the US-led war on terror, a loss of $50 billion in the last four years and have seen the FDI dry up?” Khan said.
Citing the development as yet another example of the “muk muka” politics practiced by JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman and the PML N, Khan demanded to know what had happened to the principle of “give peace a chance”, which was the central to the APC resolution passed unanimously by all the mainstream political parties of the country.
He reiterated that the new resolution was merely a continuation of making the Pakistani state play a mercenary role for the US and only the price for this had been jacked up. However, he said the money that would come would go into the hands of a few and would be of no benefit to the country.
The PTI chief said it would cause more harm as it would increase terrorism, militancy, greater polarisation within the country and more economic destabilisation.
He said the farce of reviving the NATO supply route for non-lethal goods would sustain the US war in Afghanistan as all NATO supplies were for their military’s sustenance and war effort against Afghanistan.
“The PTI will not accept any restoration of NATO supply routes through the country as any supply going to NATO forces will prolong the war as it supports the war effort,” Khan declared.
“It is not simply a matter of money. It is a matter of extricating Pakistan from this war which is not Pakistan’s war at all and which has aggravated terrorism in Pakistan,” he said.
Khan said it was pathetic to see Fazlur Rehman playing his usual game of simply upping his purchase price by declaring that his party would never allow any NATO supply route to be opened and then whimpering out and accepting the PCNS draft resolution. The same was true for the PML-N which made strong statements against NATO supply route and the US footprint in Pakistan including drones through Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and then submitting to the government’s will.
Khan felt it was ironic that all these dubious compromises were made in the name of “national interest” when in fact they actually undermined it.
The PTI head also pointed out the shameful manner in which the resolution sought to plead to the US to review its policies such as drone attacks when in fact it should simply have stated that Pakistan would not accept any drone attack on its territory and would use all means to counter it.