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ISLAMABAD: Parliamentarians at the Joint Sitting of the Parliament on Monday called for relations with world nations based on respect and keeping supreme the national sovereignty.
With majority hailing from the treasury benches and the coalition partners, the members advised the government to avoid confrontation with the United States and have cordial relations with the neighbouring countries.
Nadeem Afzal Gondal of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) opened the debate and besides criticizing the attitude of the opposition invited the parties on the other side of the isle to put in their valuable contribution and unanimously pass the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS).
He said the PCNS had prepared unanimous recommendations after lengthy deliberations and all the political parties were part of the committee.
He said that every point and recommendation was thoroughly discussed in the PCNS meetings and no one raised objections over its recommendations.
He urged that the Parliament should be not dubbed as handmade as the august House had made history by unanimously passing 18th, 19th constitutional amendments and other legislation.
Nadeem was of the views that hand made parliament could not dare to discuss and frame an independent foreign policy. It is the first time the foreign policy is being discussed in the House, he added.
Afrasiab Khattak of the Awami National Party (ANP) said that Pakistan should be made a social welfare state instead of security one. Unfortunately an extremist thinking has deeply surged in the society, bringing a bad name to the country in the comity of nations, he added.
He said, “We are against drone attacks which are not only against our national integrity and sovereignty but also against international laws.”
He said it was also a responsibility of the state to take stern action against those terrorists who had illegally entered into Pakistani soil.
Afrasiab Khattak also called for reviewing the Afghan policy and establishing friendly relations with all neighbouring countries, including Afghanistan.
Dr Karim Khawja said, “We should avail this opportunity and strike a deal with Nato and the US on our own terms and conditions.”
He said the documents should also be passed from the Parliament unanimously and established relations with other countries on parity.
