ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday said that US President Donald Trump’s new strategy for South Asia and Afghanistan was the “biggest failure of Pakistan’s foreign policy” and asked for summoning the joint sitting of the parliament to devise a new unanimous foreign policy.
While addressing a press conference here in Bani Gala, PTI Chairman Imran Khan strongly criticised the federal government for what he said its “muted response” over the US president’s “ill-advised statement” regarding Pakistan’s role in the war against terrorism.
He strongly criticised the US president for being completely ignorant over regional affairs and dynamics of the war on terror. Calling the statement as a targeted campaign aimed to de-nuclearise Pakistan, the PTI chief called for summoning the joint sitting of the parliament to devise future course of action and convey a clear message to the US administration that it could not pin the blame of its failed policies on Pakistan.
Khan said that Trump’s desire to give India an active role in Afghanistan severely lacked logic and seemed an attempt to undermine Pakistan’s incredible human and economic sacrifices rendered for the elimination of terrorism through the US-led war on terror.
He lashed out at the government stating that neither the prime minister nor the foreign minister issued a statement in response to Trump’s speech, even though China came to defend Pakistan.
“Country’s political leadership is scared, which is why the army chief had to respond to the statement. They have their looted billions of dollars abroad and that is why they are afraid of responding,” the PTI chief said.
Khan said that he had come out to fight on this front after looking at the poor response of the government.
“A unanimous message should be conveyed to the US that civilian and military leadership in the country are on the same page,” he added.
“I want to ask the government and its foreign policy makers where were they when Indian lobbyists in Washington were busy influencing the US government and devising that strategy primarily aimed to de-nuclearise Pakistan,” the PTI chief said.
“If you [Trump] want peace in Afghanistan, you need Pakistan as more troops and money will not serve the purpose,” Khan advised President Trump.
He said that Pakistan had joined the US war contrary to the fact that no Pakistani was involved at any level in the 9/11 attacks.
Khan reiterated that he had opposed Pakistan’s decision to join the US war after 9/11.
“Pakistan had no reason to take part in that war and had done a lot towards the end of fighting terrorism and sacrificed more than 70,000 lives and the economy suffered billions in losses in a war that was not even ours,” he said.
“Our army has rendered huge sacrifices,” Khan said, and added that the US aid was nothing compared to the losses Pakistan suffered, while fighting the war.
“US is speaking the language of India and any physical incursion in Pakistan’s territory will have serious consequences,” Khan warned.
He said that Trump had no idea as to who was the real terrorist and what were the issues in Afghanistan.
The PTI chief stressed the need to convey a strong message that Pakistan would not appease anyone at the cost of its national interest and its sovereignty.
The confused and flawed policy of the US government has pushed US much deeper into the Afghan quagmire, he said.
“Turning a blind eye to its own deadly mistakes and policies and assigning a greater role to India, sidelining Pakistan will bear no fruit but will worsen the situation in the region,” Khan maintained.
He further stated that India was sponsoring terrorism using Afghan soil and the documented proofs in this regard had already been presented in the UN.
In these circumstances hailing India’s role and threatening Pakistan for providing sanctuaries to terrorist is unjustified and exaggerated, the PTI chief said.
He demanded of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to give a strong-worded message to the US administration instead of defending former PM ousted on corruption charges.
Responding to questions, Khan said that both Memogate and Dawn leaks scandals were aimed to realise foreign powers that civilian leadership wanted to curb terrorism but military did not want to do so.
About chief of army staff (COAS)’s response to Trump statement, Khan said that the army chief’s were not supposed to give such statements but General Qamar Javed Bajwa gave one due to poor response from the civilian government.
To a question, if the PTI would offer treatment to Kalsoom Nawaz at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (SKMCH), Khan said that it should.
The PTI on Wednesday also submitted an adjournment motion with the National Assembly demanding the speaker NA to adjourn the regular business of the house to discuss Trump’s speech.
Imran Mukhtar
