With the political environment picking up heat amid anti-American sentiments running down in across society, the National Assembly members would meet today to discuss the fate of diplomatic relationship between estranged strategic partners – Pakistan and the United States.
The lawmakers to debate the US review of the South Asia policy and the preparation from the treasury and the opposition benches suggests that the House would most probably pass a unanimous resolution to denounce the diatribe made by US President Donald Trump in his latest speech.
While Pakistan has already decided to put Pak-US dialogue on freeze and rather a diplomatic offensive is being planned, the parliament is ready to come up with provide the government the flare it needs to open salvo against the US. Foreign Affairs Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif is planning to visit China, Russia, Turkey, Iran and other friendly states to win diplomatic support.
He is set to leave for China soon after Eid holidays. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also summoned its top ambassadorial corps to attend the yearly policy review at the Envoys’ Conference scheduled for first week of September.
The National Assembly will mainly focus on ongoing tension between Pakistan and the United States after the recent speech of the US president. “We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organizations. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists,” President Trump had warned Pakistan in his first formal address to the nation as commander-in-chief.
“We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting.”
SPEAKER CHAIRS MEETING: National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq chairs the meeting of the House Business Advisory Committee. It was agreed in the meeting that the session would pay tribute to National Assembly member Gulzar Khan who passed away on Monday.
Gulzar Khan was elected MNA from NA-4 in the May 2013 general elections. Previously, as a career bureaucrat, he served on positions including deputy commissioner in Peshawar district, political agent of North Waziristan, home secretary and tribal affairs department, chief commissioner of Afghan refugees commissionerate and chairman of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission.
The meeting also decided to discuss US Afghan policy and statement about Pakistan on Wednesday in detail. The meeting was attended by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed Khan, Syed Naveed Qamar, Shireen Mazari, Iqbal Mohammad Ali Khan, Sheikh Saladuddin and Nasir Khan.