July 26, 2007	Thursday	Rajab 10, 1428

ISLAMABAD, July 25: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) Political Secretary Saifullah Khan Niazi on Wednesday said response of the foreign office to the US threats of attacking targets within Pakistan was not clear-cut in telling the US that it would get a befitting response for any such incursion.

He said as a sovereign country Pakistan could not and should not tolerate any such threats from another nation no matter how powerful.

Mr Niazi, in a statement, said that since 9/11 Gen Pervez Musharraf was toeing the line of the United States and the issues concerned with this “phony war on terror” had nothing to do with Pakistan.

By serving someone else’s agenda, he (Musharraf) had created multiple problems for Pakistan that did not exist until we jumped into this so-called war on terror.

He said by initiating military action in the tribal areas, Gen Musharraf had not only betrayed the tribal leaders but he had also rendered Pakistan vulnerable from the northern side and the worst consequences would be in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Mr Niazi said it was high time that Pakistan’s rulers understood the fact that the US government was sincere with its population and always worked in its national interest.

“It is best in the national interest that the Pakistan Army should not be used against its people as this was creating an evident rift between the people and the army.”

All efforts should be made to make the army a professional fighting force, which the whole nation could be proud of, he said, adding that the nation still had to see the day when Pakistani rulers would work in the whole nation’s interest instead of selling our interests to benefit a small ruling elite.