ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani informed the National Assembly on Monday that Pakistan was investigating the Mumbai attacks in its own interest and not under any external pressure.

“We are not doing it under pressure from either India or the United States and United Kingdom,” he said in response to points of order raised by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

The prime minister reiterated that if any Pakistani was found involved in the attacks, he would be tried in Pakistan under the country’s law and would not be handed over to India.

He said that after the Mumbai incident it was a general impression that Pakistan had been isolated, but the fact was that Pakistan’s point of view was now being supported by the world.

He assured the house that he would take the opposition along on all issues of national importance and said all major decisions would be taken by parliament.

Mr Gilani said that a comprehensive strategy would be evolved to bring the situation in Swat under control and a high-level meeting on the issue would be convened soon. He said the military action was not the only solution to problems in the valley.

“Every Pakistani is concerned about the blowing up of girls’ schools in Swat. Security forces are in control in tribal areas and will soon establish their writ in Swat,” he added.

The prime minister said he had invited NFWP governor and law-enforcement officials to discuss the situation and would also take all political forces into confidence.The government had constituted a parliamentary committee on the Swat issue and would respect its recommendations. “We respect parliament and its supremacy and all decisions will be taken by it in future.”

He criticised world leaders for their double standards -- silence on the massacre in Gaza and Kashmir, but crying on the Mumbai blasts.

He said Pakistan was in the process of sending medicines worth Rs14 million for the people of Gaza and would also despatch foodstuffs. He said the aid could not be sent as routes were blocked because of the Israeli aggression. “Pakistan is ready to help the people of Palestine in whatever way it can.”

Earlier, the house witnessed a tense atmosphere when the former ally -- PML-N -- criticised the government. Supported by some PPP legislators and other parties, the PML-N lambasted the government and President Asif Ali Zardari for inaction over parliamentary resolutions and backing out of promises for repealing the controversial 17th Amendment.

“We reserve the right to respond if attacked by the other side. We want the presidency to be a neutral office, but it has been made a party headquarters and used for mudslinging. If the highest office of the country and the government is run on the whims of a single individual, then he himself will be responsible for its fallout,” the leader of the opposition said in a fiery speech.

Nisar Ali Khan, who took even a tougher stance against President Zardari outside parliament for his recent remarks against the PML-N leadership, said his party would continue to press the government for the repeal of 17th Amendment, supremacy of parliament and restoration of judiciary and “real democracy”.

He criticised the government for its inaction over unanimous resolutions adopted by the joint session of parliament about the war on terror, Mumbai attacks and Palestine issues. “We are totally in the dark. We do not know what the government is doing. We demand of the government to tell us what it did on these resolutions,” he said.

However, he supported the prime minister’s call for a joint stand on all national issues and said his party had extended ‘unqualified’ support to the government.

Mr Khan said there was no use of adopting resolutions without implementation. “We no more want to become part of such meaningless resolutions in future,” he said.

Syed Allauddin, a PPP lawmaker from Swat, painted a bleak picture of Swat and said it was totally out of control of security forces and people were being forced to leave homes. “I fear if this situation continues in Swat it will become a breeding ground for suicide bombers.”

Taj Jamali, another PPP legislator, asked the government to take practical steps if it was serious about resolving the crisis.

Information Minister Sherry Rehman defended the government and said the president’s statement about the media had already been contradicted. “As far as the issue of resolutions is concerned, the parliamentary committee is working on it very seriously,” she said.

Munir Aurkazai, parliamentary leader of Fata legislators and an ally of the government, rejected Ms Sherry’s claims and said the parliamentary committee had not met despite repeated requests.