Members of the Special Parliamentary Committee on National Security expressed their “dissatisfaction and reservations” on Friday with the utility, effectiveness and direction of the country’s foreign policy, and asked the government to pursue an aggressive diplomatic policy to safeguard its sovereignty and independence. A source told Pakistan Today that Foreign Affairs Minister Hina Rabbani Khar gave an in-camera briefing to the committee on the country’s relations with the United States (US), Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iran and other neighbouring countries, while the country’s diplomatic efforts to muster support from friendly countries to build diplomatic pressure on the US administration to halt drone attacks were also explained.
“Though the minister gave a detailed briefing to the three-hour long meeting and highlighted various steps taken by the government, she failed to convince the members of the effectiveness of the government’s foreign policy,” said the source. The source quoted Senator Prof Khurshid Ahmed as telling the minister that the government had failed to implement the committee’s recommendations on national security, saying drone attacks had increased manifold from the Pervez Musharraf era. “The minister said that Pakistan had registered its protest at the highest level against the drone attacks. Another participant said during the meeting that Pakistan should look for other ways as mere protests were proving counter-productive.
Hina Rabbani Khar told the meeting that Pakistan had used direct channels to convey its displeasure over the drone attacks while diplomatic channels were also being used for the purpose,” added the source. The source said that in meetings to follow, the committee would be briefed by the Defence Ministry as well as the Interior Ministry. Senate Opposition Leader Senator Wasim Sajjad said that the meeting was briefed by Hina Rabbani Khar on her recent visit to Saudi Arabia, the prime minister’s recent visit to Kabul and Pak-US relations. He said the minister had told the committee that her visit would prove to be very useful as it was the first high profile visit by a Pakistani official in a long time.
The minister also briefed the meeting on the Kabul visit, terming it a major success for the bilateral ties of both countries. The senator said Pakistan registered its protest against drone attacks. However, he declined to share further details of the meeting which was held in-camera. Prof Khurshid Ahmed also refused to share any details of the meeting, but said: “My impression and calculation is that the government is ‘worried’ over the drone attacks issue and therefore serious efforts are being taken now. But they badly lack a clear-headed approach and resolve to get the country out of the US hegemonic control,” he added. He said mere symptoms of concern could do nothing if the required courage, resilience and boldness was lacking.
