Pakistan on Saturday expressed concern over the use of force against Libya and feared that the wave of unrest in Middle East and North African countries could also engulf the country. Briefing Senate's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs here at the Parliament House, Secretary Foreign Affairs Salman Bashir said that the on-going unrest in Middle East could also affect Pakistan.
He said that major reason for turmoil in Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen was unemployment and the rampant corruption. However, he said, Pakistan is keeping close eye on the situation so as to avoid its possible impacts on the country. The Committee, which met here with its chairman Saleem Saifullah in the chair at the Parliament House, was briefed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the unrest in some Middle East and North African countries.
Terming the United Nations Security Council resolution regarding Libya, as dangerous signal, the Secretary Foreign Affairs said that like other countries in the region, Pakistan had also serious reservations over the interpretation given to the UN resolution about Libya as it had granted permission to some forces to carry out attacks on a sovereign country. While expressing Pakistan's concerns over the use of force against Libya, he said that the resolution was also opposed by the countries like Russia, India and China.
He said that Pakistan was of the view that no country should be divided, fractured or brought under attack merely in the name of restoration of democracy, protection of human rights or safe guarding the civilians. He said Pakistan also rejects the formula of regime change with the intervention of foreign forces as because Libya has its internal problems so it is up to the people to decide the their fate not allied countries. He added that Pakistan's priority was to restore stability and peace in Gulf, Middle East, North Africa and Afghanistan.
Committee members belonging to PPP and Jamaat-i-Islami also expressed differed opinions on the resolution when JI's Senator Professor Khurshid Ahmed said that despite he was opposed to Qadafi's dictatorial regime, but he also opposed the intervention by any other country in the internal affairs of Libya. The comments prompted PPP's Sughra Imam, who said that such arguments mean posing open support to the dictators in Middle East and to strengthen their rule for decades.
The committee was also informed that there were 300,000 Pakistanis living and working in the Middle East countries. Salman Bashir said that a task force had been set up to evacuate Pakistanis from violence-hit Libya and Bahrain. In Bahrain, the Foreign Secretary said that there were 86,000 Pakistanis working in Bahrain out of which around 10,000 were serving in police and defence services. He said five Pakistanis have reportedly been killed in the violent incidents in Bahrain.
About the issue of Afghanistan, he said the Afghan crisis doesn't seem to be resolved as every effort to bring peace has so far failed. The committee, in its recommendations, asked the government to formulate independent foreign policy free of international pressure and find solution to the Middle East issue with the help of 'like-minded' countries.
The chairman of the committee observed that the changing situation in the Middle East can affect Pakistan's situation and asked the government to raise its voice based on principles rather sitting as silent spectator on the pressure of the international powers. Earlier, additional secretary Foreign Affairs Munawar Bhatti said that Arab League, Gulf Co-operation Council, African Union had supported the UN resolution calling for establishment of no fly zone over Libya and allowing the allied countries to carry out air strikes on Libyan defence installations.
He said that more than 5,000 Pakistanis through seven special flights and other means had been evacuated from Libya so far. He was of the view that the current turmoil in Middle East seems the creation of a new Middle East hinted by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a press conference with Israeli Foreign Minister some years back.
Some members of the committee expressed their deep concerns over the situation in Bahrain, following which the committee chairman directed the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to send its observer missions to the Middle Eastern states to get the real pictures of the situation. The Committee also held an in-camera session to discuss the issues of repeated US drone attacks in tribal areas and the release of Raymond Davis. Later, briefing media persons, chairman of the committee said that committee lodged strong protest against the release of Raymond Davis and the killing of over 40 tribal elders in a US drone attack in North Waziristan last days.
Comments
Comments are closed.