Pakistan part of Islamic military alliance: Sartaj fails to offer plausible answer?
Advisor on Foreign Affairs to Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz said on Monday in Senate that Pakistan is looking into details of the 34-state Islamic military coalition announced recently by Saudi Arabia while the country stands firm in its policy of non-interference in internal matters of other countries. He said Saudi Arabia has just announced the coalition and all other operational details are yet to be agreed by all the members. "We stand by our principle stance on the situation in the Middle East and Pakistan wants a political solution of Yemen crisis," he said.
Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani, however, questioned that if Pakistan was still looking into details of the coalition, then what was the hurry to become part of it. Aziz, however, said that all other 33 Islamic countries have done the same to become part of the coalition. To a query of the chairman Senate, he said, "it is a sensitive issue and we could not talk on it before time."
It seemed as if the advisor had apparently failed to convince the Senators on Pakistan's inclusion in the Islamic military coalition. MQM Senator Tahir Mashadi also staged a token walkout from the House in protest on what he called an unsatisfactory response from the advisor on the issue. Talking about Pakistani missions abroad, he said that they all have been directed to look after the interests of overseas Pakistanis in the wake of anti-Muslim rhetoric in the western world.
The advisor was winding up a motion by Senator Tanvir Khan about hardships being faced by Overseas Pakistanis due to the acts of terrorism in the western countries. He said a meeting of Pakistani ambassadors was held in Islamabad last week to discuss the issue in detail.
"Our missions are well aware of the situation and are intensifying efforts with the help of the local media to assist Pakistani community," he said, adding that the issue of Islam-phobia was also discussed at the OIC level. "The increasing Islam-phobia will be part of the agenda of the OIC summit that is scheduled to be held in February next year," he said.
Winding up motion moved by Senator Sassi Palijo regarding non-convening of the meeting of Council of Common Interests (CCI), Minister for Inter-Provincial Co-ordination Riaz Hussain Pirzada informed the Senate that meeting of the Council of Common Interests is expected to be convened in the third week of next month. He said agenda for the meeting has been refined in close co-ordination with the provinces. "A summary has also been moved to the prime minister for establishment of a permanent secretariat of CCI at the ministry," he said.
Earlier, speaking on the motion, members demanded early convening of the meeting so that irritating issues are discussed and sorted out. Winding up a motion by Farhatullah Babar about the functioning of National Commission on Human Rights, Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid told the House that National Commission on Human Rights has started dealing with complaints regarding human rights and has already disposed of ten complaints. He said rules for dealing with complaints have been framed. The Senate also passed two separate resolutions unanimously, urging the government to establish Secretariat of the Council of Common Interests and review the system of private Hajj tour operators.
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