NA session summoned on 12th over Trump tweet

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain has summoned a session of the National Assembly on Friday, January 12, 2018, at 10:30am in the Parliament House, Islamabad.

The session has been convened to take the political leaders into confidence for a Pakistani response to the threatening and derogatory remarks by US President Trump in his tweet on New Year’s Eve.

The leaders of political parties in the parliament, including Imran Khan, Syed Khursheed Ali Shah and others, have already strongly criticised the US over the allegations and the Lower House is to adopt a strongly-worded resolution telling Washington that it can in way succeed in Afghanistan without Pakistan cooperation.

The political leaders have pointed out that Pakistan has been providing airspace and ground routes to the US and other coalition forces for access to Afghanistan and without its cooperation the operation there would be highly costly and unbearable.

The Pakistan People’s Party has already moved a motion in the National Assembly seeking an urgent discussion on Trump’s derogatory remarks about Pakistan which it said seems to be intentional attempt to malign and degrade Pakistan by portraying it as a supporter of terrorism rather than appreciating the country’s dedicated efforts to ensure peace in the region.

The motion signed by the eight members of the opposition said the propaganda campaign by the US president is a clear attempt to divert world attention from its foreign policy failures in South Asia, particularly in Afghanistan and the Middle East. It said the paltry amount paid to Pakistan by the US was in no way match to the immeasurable sacrifices of Pakistanis over the last decade or so. It further stated that “Pakistan is a sovereign state and it’s well aware, well equipped to protect its interest, which is none other than maintaining peace and termination of all forms of terrorism”.

Other opposition parties have also emphasised the need for unity to face the challenge.

Ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif has already called for convening a joint sitting of the parliament to debate the matter.