Top political leaders, controlling the incoming governing coalition, have told American diplomats that the new parliament will review the country's role in the US-led war on terror. The 'defining' message was conveyed on Tuesday to the visiting US Deputy Secretary of State, John Negroponte, and his assistant for South Asia region Richard Boucher.
Both key officials of President George W Bush's administration separately met Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chief Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif here. Nawaz told media after holding talks with US officials that he did not want to risk Pakistan's security for peace in America and Europe. "We want to see calm in Pakistan also. It can not happen that we turn our country into murder land for giving peace to others," he said in direct reference to bloodshed in lawless tribal regions.
A short three-paragraph PPP statement after meeting between Zardari and Negroponte did not give details of what was discussed. Media reports, however, suggested the PPP leader had conveyed to the US officials that it was hard to set aside an overwhelming public desire to halt military exercises in tribal belt along the Afghan border.
"We discussed terrorism; we informed them that our point of view is that since 9/11 all decisions were made by one man," Nawaz told reporters. "Now the situation has changed. A truly representative parliament has come into being.... Every decision will be presented before the parliament. They will review Musharraf's policy in the last six years," he said.
He said that a parliamentary committee would be set up to examine this and international concern and then, keeping in view national aspirations, would give recommendations.
"Pervez Musharraf used the 'war on terrorism' to perpetuate his rule. Neither the cabinet nor the parliament was taken into confidence in any of his decisions. That is why it did not have popular support," Nawaz said. He said that both US and Pakistan want to see the world "free of terrorism".
Comments
Comments are closed.