FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

To an agitated lot of Senators who were worked up how American policies were impacting Afghanistan and its resultant effect on Pakistan's domestic scenario; Federal Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri explained that a country's foreign policy is a set of goals seeking to outline how Pakistan should interact with other countries to a lesser extent, non-state actors.
Foreign policies generally are designed to help protect a country's national interests, defence and economy. This might occur through peaceful co-operation. Thus in the foreign policy debate at the Senate on Wednesday morning he was thumbs up to the foreign policy of Pakistan.
"Our foreign policy promotes national interest," he told Senators in an hour long winding speech on the conclusion of the foreign policy debate. The Senate was prorogued soon after the foreign minister's speech. There were many anxious Senators who kept expressing their revulsion at recent American pronouncements, but the Minister was able to satisfy them. Pakistan was standing its ground as far as Washington was concerned, and the Americans have been told in certain terms that this country had done enough in the war on terror, and it was time for a quid pro quo from their side.
He also explained that the country had not lost the friendship of neighbours, and that we have the most enduring relations with China, and good ties with Iran., Iran is settling down in ties with us. And due to the hard work of his boys at the foreign ministry, India had been constrained now to recast its favourite catch phrase of Kashmir being its 'AtutAng' (or the integral part) to a new phraseology of the need for achieving a 'negotiated settlement acceptable to both parties.'
He rambled into several directions, going into success of Pakistan's policies particularly at the United Nations, where Pakistan enjoyed respect, and had kept a mini power at bay from attaining the permanent seat there. If we were to succumb to some demands it would isolate Pakistan from the comity of nations and deny its rising trade, and as a result the commerce of Pakistan could fall.
The Minister said he is trying to be as explicit as he could though his responsibility as the nation's keeper of balance in international relations prevented him from doing so. Therefore, he would advocate sound reflection in attending to the business of making up a foreign policy that, however, in the end depends on the national consensus. 'The success of foreign policy of any country is dependent on the strength of its domestic policies.'
He also deflected the observation that the Parliament was not consulted in the realm of foreign policy. 'I have personally given briefings to the National Assembly and Senate Standing Committees, some times for about five hours, and that is how the Parliament has been kept abreast of policies in the making.
The Minister's speech at the Senate was preceded by a number of apprehensions made by Senators and some of them could be traced to the foreign ministry's statement that dismissed the Parliamentary Affairs Minister opening address at the foreign policy debate made on Tuesday. 'The foreign minister's statement would be the only authentic interpretation of the foreign policy of the country,' said the statement, implying thereby that Sher Afgan had expressed a personal view, and all that insistent call made by several legislators for review of Pakistan's policy towards the USA was not acceptable, to put it mildly.
Despite the foreign office statement, a number of Senators participating in the debate this morning continued with their old stance that Pakistan's relations with the United States called for review after the passage of the new law in the US Senate which seeks annual certification from the American president that Pakistan had not supported Talibans or al Qaeda and that the capability of its nuclear structure had not been enhanced, before any financial assistance would be released.
Referring to the disclaimer from the foreign office, Opposition Leader, Raza Rabbani charged the government of using the parliament 'as a tool to exert pressure to have the terms of the US law softened.
The core issue was the American dream for gaining control of resources a task in which the think tanks, multinationals and NGOs coalesce, for which the US continues to support client Muslim states, because of the basic reason that they do not draw strength from the people of those lands.
Pakistan was created as an Islamic welfare state but it has now been turned as national security state with the result that the national security of the West is now being fought on Pakistan soil, and a perception threat of the west had been changing, with the popular leaders becoming victims.
Raza Rabbani said the solution was in a fair and free election, which would give birth to a democratically elected sovereign Parliament, and called for adopting the principles of the Bandung Conference should become the basis of foreign policy as well as rejection of the hot pursuit policy advanced by the US. Once again Senator Zafar repeated the old adage that the foreign policy was dependant on the internal policies, which called for unity, and thus shaped national interest of the country. He also referred to the difficult conditions facing Pakistan at its birth.
Liaquat Ali Khan's trip to the USA was correct because Pakistan was then in need of military hardware. Pakistan inherited a friendly world environment and this enabled it to become the seventh nuclear power of the world, which made us safe, testifying to the success of our early foreign policy. Pakistan also deepened friendship with China.
However, a super power emerged with the fall of the Berlin Wall and then the west invented a new enemy in the Muslim civilisations giving currency to the concept of the clash of civilisations, and also the doctrine of pre-emptive attack.
In the aftermath of 9/11 Pakistan faced the doctrine and wisely acted to side with the Americans in the war on terror. Nevertheless he remembered the Parliament Resolution refusing to send Pakistan troops to Iraq, and this also signified success of our foreign policy.
Addressing the American people he said Pakistanis admire US citizens for their sense of democracy and liberty and for loyalty to the due process of law. But he told them that the doctrine of pre-emptive strike is a bane of American policies and a prescription for aggression and hence they should jettison it for the cause of world peace.
Senator Zafar welcomed President Musharraf's statement that emergency and martial law were not the prescription for the country and commented that is as it should be. In this regard he also referred to the voice of the young generation spoke at the Aaj TV on Tuesday night who believed that Pakistan had a bright future ahead.
A Number of other speakers such as Gulshan Saeed, Pari Gul Agha, Liaquat Banglazai, Professor Ibrahim, Jamal Leghari Dr Khalid Mahmud Soomro, and Naeem Chattaha also made their several presentations. Bangalzai feared the Americans want to destroy Pakistan achievements reached in nuclear assets and the 1973 Constitution. Professor Ibrahim desired that the OIC should be strengthened to a level that it might gain the status of a super power. Dr M Saad complained that Pakistan's sovereignty had dwindled so much that American agencies could take away Pakistani citizens without warrant. Gulshan Saeed suggested the nation should unite in the wake of the danger call to our nuclear assets. Dr Mahmood said that Pakistan cannot accept a subservient position to the United States.
In the morning Leader of the House, and Gulshan Saeed joined in paying tributes to the famous writer Qurratul Ain Hyder who died in India last evening.
They said she enriched Urdu letters with writing a series of novels and novellas including Aag Ka Darya and Mere Bhi Sanam Khane.
The journalists walked out from the Press Gallery immediately after the Senate proceedings started in the morning on learning the news of assault made on Babar Malik, ARY TV journalist who was attacked while returning home on his motor bike last evening. It was alleged that the attack was carried out by a number of hidden persuaders who took umbrage at some of his news dispatches.
Wasim Sajjad, leader of House, noticed the walk out and reported the matter to Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro requesting him to take immediate action. Later State Minister Kamil Agha came to the Press Lobby to assure the media that he would do his best.