Islamabad: In a statement issued today the Naib Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan ex-Senator Prof. Khurshid Ahmad said that opening of the supply routes to US and NATO Forces is an abject surrender to the US pressure and blackmail and sell-out of Pakistan’s sovereignty and vital interests. According to Prof. Khurshid, the manner in which the announcement has been made is also highly objectionable. The unanimous Resolution of the Parliament has unashamedly been violated in letter and spirit. The Parliament has demanded a comprehensive package involving priority to peace and political solution to the problem of terrorism and Pakistan’s delinking from the American War on Terror. The Parliament has closed the doors of unwritten and behind the scene agreements and demanded that all aspects of relationships and understanding made, must be in written form, approved by the Cabinet in consultation with the Parliamentary Committee on National Security and also by taking the Parliament into confidence. It is very clear that Pakistan Foreign Minister committed to US Secretary of State at least 12 hours before the meeting of the Cabinet Defence Committee, whose own role is only recommendatory. Under the Constitution and the Rules of Business DCC can only recommend but the Cabinet is to take the decision, which has met only after 18 hours after the DCC to put its rubber stamp on what was decided by high-ups in total disregard to the process laid down by the Parliament. This is how the Government has violated the Constitution, Rules of Business and the Resolution of the Parliament.
Prof. Khurshid also stressed that the US has practically rejected out every demand made by the Government in light of the Parliamentary Resolution. It has given no categorical and unconditional apology as was demanded by the Parliament. The words ‘sorry’ and ‘regret’ had been circulating during the last seven months and were not acceptable to the Pakistani nation. Obama has apologized to the Afghan people at least three times during the last one year. The blood of Pakistan’s Armed personnel and citizens was not even worth the blood of the Afghan people and hence the Government of Pakistan has shamelessly accepted the wrapped up ‘sorry’ from Mrs. Hillary Clinton.
Prof. Khurshid noted that the US have similarly ignored Pakistan’s request for halting drone attacks. “Drone attacks are violation of our sovereignty and represent war against Pakistan which have increased three times during the Obama regime and there have been twenty two attacks after the Salalah act of aggression”, he said and added that the Government by its latest surrender to the US dictates has once again shown that it cares the least for national interests and popular national sentiments. “Drone attacks and opening of the routes are totally unacceptable to the Pakistani people and they have every right to resist those violations on their sovereignty and security by all democratic means”, he emphasized.
“Finally as to the economic dimension it is again entirely shameful and contrary to national choice and interest. To say that the issue of transit fee was not relevant is not correct. Even in the original agreement of February 2002 the provision was there which was not invoked by the Musharraf Regime with the result that Pakistan suffered huge losses both in monetary terms as well as in destruction of domestic roads and infrastructure. Economically Pakistan has suffered to the tune of 90 to 100 billion dollars during this accursed war on terror. America has been successful in blackmailing us by withholding aid and using threats to sanctions. It is unfortunate that the country’s political and military leaderships have miserably failed to protect Pakistan’s sovereignty, honour and vital interest. The lame excuse about Pakistan’s isolation and tension with 48 countries is also totally misplaced and irrelevant. The issue of tension was very much there before Salala aggression and there is no qualitative change in the post Salalah period. Does the Government want to say that the DCC, the Cabinet and the Parliament did not know that the US and 48 other countries are involved in Afghanistan from October 2001 or has this revelation came to the Government only in June and July 2012? Now it is for the people of Pakistan to rise to the challenge and protect their country from foreign aggressors and their collaborators at home”, he concluded.