Both treasury and opposition in the lower house were unanimous on Wednesday in expressing concern over the US President Barack Obama's announcement backing Indian ambition for permanent seat in the UN Security Council. Earlier, on Monday President Obama had made the announcement in a speech to India's parliament on the third and final day of his visit to support New Dehli in its move for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
The issue emerged when leader of the opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan urged the government to join hands with them in disapproving the recent development regarding US backing for giving seat to India in the UN Security Council. 'This issue is of grave concern for the country and we do not want point scoring over it', he added.
"This is not acceptable," Chaudhry Nisar had said when he enumerated scores of outstanding issues with India including Kashmir which dates back more than 60 years. The country which never acknowledged UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir has been awarded by the US with a permanent seat, he added. Chaudhry Nisar had also accused the Foreign Minster Shah Mehmood Qureshi that he did not bother to take into confidence to the opposition prior or after the recent round of strategic dialogue with the US.
Responding to the concern raised by the leader of the opposition, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the assembly that he, being Pakistani, had reservations over the US decision. Today I have briefed the Prime Minister regarding government's point of view and has taken the Cabinet into confidence, he added.
"I am ready to take this house into confidence as well" the foreign Minister said adding Cabinet had adopted a resolution to express its serious concern and strong reservation on the decision of the US to support India for a permanent seat in UN Security Council. In its resolution, the Cabinet had observed that this decision would have grave ramifications for the direction and prospects of system of multilateral co-operation as envisaged by the founding fathers of the UN charter. It also has implications for peace, security and stability in Asia, particularly South Asia.
Addressing the National Assembly, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that he agreed with the leader of the opposition that no one should score points over this particular issue. The foreign minister contested the statement of the leader of the opposition that he had not taken the opposition into confidence prior or after the strategic dialogue with the US saying, 'I had urged for a joint meeting of standing committees of foreign affairs of both the houses and had briefed prior to leaving for the dialogue'. After returning from the US, I once again took the nation into confidence and today I have briefed the cabinet as well, he added.