ISLAMABAD, Aug 9: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri on Thursday ruled out any change in what he called a successful foreign policy despite some new irritants with the United States and told the National Assembly that an isolationist approach would be ruinous for Pakistan.

“No problem will be solved by ‘doing kutty’ with the United States... (or) with Europe,” he said, using a popular Punjabi term for severing friendships while winding up a four-day foreign policy debate that focused on Pakistan-US ties.The minister was responding to demands, mostly from the religious parties grouped in the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) alliance, for withdrawing Pakistan from the US-led coalition against terrorism, which they said was actually directed against the Muslim world mainly because of the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The house, through a motion, had set five areas for what turned out to be the longest foreign policy debate of nearly five years of its life: controversial statements of two prospective US presidential candidates, America’s civil nuclear deal with India the type of which has been denied to Pakistan, threats of anti-Al Qaeda military strikes inside Pakistani territory, Pakistan’s role as front-line state in the so-called “war against terrorism”, and a recent US legislation putting conditions on aid to Pakistan, including its performance against militants and democratisation.

But Kasuri, who told the house he would like to take a broader approach rather than being America-specific, stressed Pakistan’s strategic importance by virtue of its location and resources and said isolation was not in the country’s interest and “we have to play a responsible role as a respected member of the international community balancing our own priorities and requirements of the global community”.

He said the present government was conducting “a successful foreign policy in troubled times aimed at securing vital national interest including the strength of economy and defence.

This policy, he said, had succeeded in ensuring that Pakistan had friends all over the world and was contributing towards peace and prosperity for its people.

“Mere ‘dama dam mast qalandar’ will not work,” he said using another popular phrase for bravado, adding: “But lying down on the floor will also not work.

“We cannot defend the country with slingshots and swords but need modern weapons,” he remarked as he defended the policy of active engagement with the international community rather than following an isolationist policy that he said “will also ruin our economy”.

The minister traced the history of Pakistan’s close relations with the United States since early 1950s and rejected accusations that the present government was taking dictation from Washington.

As examples of what he called “independence in decision-making”, he cited Pakistan’s disagreements with the US over the Iraq war, Iran’s nuclear issue, refusal to send troops to Iran, the planned Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, a UN security council resolution on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by non-state actors, a comprehensive convention against terrorism, last year’s Israeli attack on Lebanon and the question of Palestine.

Mr Kasuri rejected as totally wrong a recent assessment of US intelligence agencies that Al Qaeda had established a safe haven in Pakistan’s tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

“There is no such safe haven in Pakistan. This is totally wrong assertion,” he said and termed as unacceptable any US military action inside Pakistani territory.

“If there has to be any operation it will be carried out by the Pakistani military. If there is any actionable evidence, give it to us.”

The minister said more than 80,000 Pakistani troops deployed on the Afghan border to fight militants were exercising restraint to avoid civilian casualties, using helicopters rather than jet aircraft as was the case in Iraq where about 100 people were being killed compared to one American while 700 Pakistani troops had been killed compared to 800 to 900 militants in the tribal areas.

Mr Kasuri called for a change of the policy incorporated in the new US law putting conditions on aid to Pakistan, which he said smelled of the notorious Pressler Amendment of the 1980s that punished Pakistan for its nuclear programme.

He said it had been conveyed to Washington that “our people are totally unhappy with this” and advised the US administration: It’s battle for hearts and minds, so don’t do anything which alienates the people of Pakistan.”

On the India-US nuclear deal, which Pakistan thinks will have an implication on strategic balance in the region, Mr Kasuri assured the house: “We will do everything possible to maintain the strategic nuclear parity in South Asia.”

He said Pakistan had the necessary human resources and infrastructure and added: “We have made progress and will continue do it.”

Mr Kasuri shared the general outrage of house members over what he called an “insane” statement by Republican presidential hopeful Tom Tancredo suggesting attacks on Islam’s holiest sites in Makkah and Medina and “irresponsible” remarks by Democrat Senator Barack Obama about sending marines into Pakistani tribal areas.

He called for making special laws in Western countries against attempts to injure the sentiments of other religions on the lines of laws providing punishment for disputing the Holocaust.

On Pakistan’s relations with the international community, the minister said it was the only country in the world having cordial relations and strategic partnership with both China and the US at the same time as well as with Islamic countries.

The minister rejected as “totally wrong” allegations that Pakistan was fighting terrorism only under US pressure rather than for its own national interest and said peace and stability were essential for the well-being of the nation of 165 to 170 million, with 100 million of them being under 18 years.

“Their aspirations have to be met, which is not possible without sound and ever-growing economy. Pakistan is permanently looking for foreign direct investment as well as remittances of its expatriate workers. If they feel Pakistan does not remain stable, even local investors will take capital away.”

He said it was not only America but all of Pakistan’s friends including China, the Islamic world including Saudi Arabia, and South East Asia were against terrorism.

Among foreign policy successes he cited Pakistan’s strategic ties with China and US, upsurge in relations with the European Union, growing ties with the Muslim World, strengthening of the OIC, blocking India’s ambition to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council, admission to Asia-Europe meeting, participation in the first-ever G-8 foreign ministers’ meeting in Potsdam in May, membership of the Asean Regional Forum, increasing engagement with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, growing ties with Russia and coping successfully in managing relations with Afghanistan.