Pakistan’s principle stand to boycott the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan and to review its relations with NATO and United States have been supported by all the political parties and Pakistan’s importance has been increased in the international community. According to diplomatic sources, although it is tough stand to boycott the Bonn Conference and stop the NATO supply but the general public and political parties have termed it a strong and committed decision by the Pakistan government at this important moment following the unproved and uncalled for attacks by the NATO/ISAF helicopters on its border check-posts in Mohmand Agency that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and officers.
Pakistan’s diplomates clarified that Pakistan boycotted the Bonn Conference in the larger interest of Pakistan, but it should not be taken as Pakistan’s total disassociation from its aspiration to promote peace and security in Afghanistan.
The foreign office further stated, “Peace and stability in Afghanistan is indeed in our own larger national interest and Pakistan will continue doing whatever it can to facilitate the process of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.”
President Pakistan Muslim League-N Nawaz Sharif while appreciating the decisions of government said that NATO supplies must remain suspended till apology over attacks on Pakistan military check posts in Mohmand Agency.
Nawaz Sharif said the government had taken a firm stand and should stick to it.
He said NATO air-strike at Mohmand Agency which claimed the lives of 24 Pakistani soldiers was an open attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty. He reiterated that such attacks must not be happened. He also praised and appreciated the government’s decision to boycott Bonn conference.
The most important decision besides condemning these attacks, taken by the Government of Pakistan was to boycott the Bonn Conference which has disturbed the world community but it was supported by the masses at home.
International community especially US President Obama, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Afghanistan Hamid Karzai and other world leaders used their diplomatic channels and put pressure to convince Pakistan to withdraw its decision to boycott the Bonn conference.
The Bonn conference on the future of Afghanistan was held in Bonn, Germany on December 5 and it was meant to find a solution to the problems of Afghanistan especially after the proposed withdrawal of American forces.
Pakistan time and again clarified that without ensuring protection to its sovereignty, integrity, security and honour, it will not attend Bonn conference.
Pakistan has also conveyed to the international community and especially the US that there could not be “business as usual” with Washington in the wake of the strikes.
Another important initiative by the government, which was being appreciated by the political leaders and the public, is the decision to vacate Shamsi Air Base which was allegedly used for drone attacks in Pakistan.
President Asif Ali Zardari even rejected UAE’s request to review the decision to close Shamsi Air Base when its Foreign Minister called on President soon after the decision to vacate Shamsi Air Base.
Although the United States has expressed concern about the impact of the deadly NATO strike incident on its bilateral relations with Pakistan, which, the State Department described as “vital” to both countries.
The State Department said, “Of course, we are concerned about the impact of this incident on our relations with Pakistan.”
Pakistan’s decision to boycott Bonn Conference was considered an early blow to US efforts to have Afghanistan’s powerful neighbors, act as guarantors of the post-2014 peace.
US Ambassador Cameron Munter had to meet Pakistani leadership almost every day since the NATO/ISAF attacks and he had been making efforts to revive the previous Pak-US relations.
President Zardari told the American envoy that if the US does not take care for Pakistan’s interests and sovereignty, it will deteriorate relations between the two countries.
The President further said Pakistan had rendered innumerable sacrifices in the war against terror but the government, army, and people had strong reservations about the unprovoked Mohmand Agency attack.
Pakistan Army while expressing its disgust over NATO attacks has said that it does not accept NATO apology and that this action can lead to serious consequences.
Such incidents have happened in the past that killed 72 soldiers and injured more than 250 troops in three years, said the spokesman for Pakistan Army.
Pakistan has also sealed its border with Afghanistan, shutting down the supply lines for some 130,000 US-led foreign troops in that country soon after the NATO attack on Pakistani posts.
Pakistan has also protested with the United Nations on these unprovoked attacks and a letter has been written to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in this regard.
NATO Chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said, “Saturday’s NATO attack in Mohmand Agency was tragic and unintended.”
He wrote a letter to Prime Minister Gilani that the deaths of Pakistani personnel are as unacceptable and deplorable as the deaths of Afghan and international personnel.
He assured, “We will determine what happened and draw the right lessons”.
He further said NATO remained strongly committed to working with Pakistan to improve cooperation to avoid such tragedies in the future.
Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani also strongly condemned NATO/ISAF’s blatant and unacceptable act resulting in loss of precious lives of Pakistani soldiers.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar telephoned US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to inform the US government of the ‘deep sense of rage’ felt across Pakistan at the senseless killings of soldiers in attacks on a Pakistani military post in Mohmand Agency.
The Foreign Minister also contacted many countries including China, France, Turkey, Russia, Germany, Iran, UK, OIC and European Union besides United States to convey the sentiments of the Government and people of Pakistan on NATO/ISAF attacks on Pakistani order posts.
Pakistan’s diplomates clarified that Pakistan boycotted the Bonn Conference in the larger interest of Pakistan, but it should not be taken as Pakistan’s total disassociation from its aspiration to promote peace and security in Afghanistan.
The foreign office further stated, “Peace and stability in Afghanistan is indeed in our own larger national interest and Pakistan will continue doing whatever it can to facilitate the process of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.”
President Pakistan Muslim League-N Nawaz Sharif while appreciating the decisions of government said that NATO supplies must remain suspended till apology over attacks on Pakistan military check posts in Mohmand Agency.
Nawaz Sharif said the government had taken a firm stand and should stick to it.
He said NATO air-strike at Mohmand Agency which claimed the lives of 24 Pakistani soldiers was an open attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty. He reiterated that such attacks must not be happened. He also praised and appreciated the government’s decision to boycott Bonn conference.
The most important decision besides condemning these attacks, taken by the Government of Pakistan was to boycott the Bonn Conference which has disturbed the world community but it was supported by the masses at home.
International community especially US President Obama, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Afghanistan Hamid Karzai and other world leaders used their diplomatic channels and put pressure to convince Pakistan to withdraw its decision to boycott the Bonn conference.
The Bonn conference on the future of Afghanistan was held in Bonn, Germany on December 5 and it was meant to find a solution to the problems of Afghanistan especially after the proposed withdrawal of American forces.
Pakistan time and again clarified that without ensuring protection to its sovereignty, integrity, security and honour, it will not attend Bonn conference.
Pakistan has also conveyed to the international community and especially the US that there could not be “business as usual” with Washington in the wake of the strikes.
Another important initiative by the government, which was being appreciated by the political leaders and the public, is the decision to vacate Shamsi Air Base which was allegedly used for drone attacks in Pakistan.
President Asif Ali Zardari even rejected UAE’s request to review the decision to close Shamsi Air Base when its Foreign Minister called on President soon after the decision to vacate Shamsi Air Base.
Although the United States has expressed concern about the impact of the deadly NATO strike incident on its bilateral relations with Pakistan, which, the State Department described as “vital” to both countries.
The State Department said, “Of course, we are concerned about the impact of this incident on our relations with Pakistan.”
Pakistan’s decision to boycott Bonn Conference was considered an early blow to US efforts to have Afghanistan’s powerful neighbors, act as guarantors of the post-2014 peace.
US Ambassador Cameron Munter had to meet Pakistani leadership almost every day since the NATO/ISAF attacks and he had been making efforts to revive the previous Pak-US relations.
President Zardari told the American envoy that if the US does not take care for Pakistan’s interests and sovereignty, it will deteriorate relations between the two countries.
The President further said Pakistan had rendered innumerable sacrifices in the war against terror but the government, army, and people had strong reservations about the unprovoked Mohmand Agency attack.
Pakistan Army while expressing its disgust over NATO attacks has said that it does not accept NATO apology and that this action can lead to serious consequences.
Such incidents have happened in the past that killed 72 soldiers and injured more than 250 troops in three years, said the spokesman for Pakistan Army.
Pakistan has also sealed its border with Afghanistan, shutting down the supply lines for some 130,000 US-led foreign troops in that country soon after the NATO attack on Pakistani posts.
Pakistan has also protested with the United Nations on these unprovoked attacks and a letter has been written to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in this regard.
NATO Chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said, “Saturday’s NATO attack in Mohmand Agency was tragic and unintended.”
He wrote a letter to Prime Minister Gilani that the deaths of Pakistani personnel are as unacceptable and deplorable as the deaths of Afghan and international personnel.
He assured, “We will determine what happened and draw the right lessons”.
He further said NATO remained strongly committed to working with Pakistan to improve cooperation to avoid such tragedies in the future.
Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani also strongly condemned NATO/ISAF’s blatant and unacceptable act resulting in loss of precious lives of Pakistani soldiers.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar telephoned US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to inform the US government of the ‘deep sense of rage’ felt across Pakistan at the senseless killings of soldiers in attacks on a Pakistani military post in Mohmand Agency.
The Foreign Minister also contacted many countries including China, France, Turkey, Russia, Germany, Iran, UK, OIC and European Union besides United States to convey the sentiments of the Government and people of Pakistan on NATO/ISAF attacks on Pakistani order posts.
APPC
0 comments:
Post a Comment