ISLAMABAD - The Parliamentary Committee on National Security was informed on Saturday that Pakistan had inked nine agreements with United States and Nato to cooperate in war on terror.
Secretary Defence Khalid Naeem Lodhi, while briefing the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, presented all the nine agreements before the committee and also informed the body about the preliminary report of Pentagon on Nato attack on Pakistani border checkposts in Mohmand Agency killing around 24 Army personnel. Sources, well aware of the deliberations of the committee, informed TheNation that the team had also sought the view of the Finance Ministry on the financial implications of these agreements on national economy and they would be called to give their input on 30th of this month when the committee would meet again.
The committee meeting on Saturday was held under the chairmanship of Senator Mian Raza Rabbani at Parliament House where Secretary Defence appeared before the committee and presented some nine written agreements with United States and Nato before the Parliamentary body regarding the cooperation in war on terror.
Sources in the committee said out of these nine agreements two were with the United States while rest of seven were with Nato. Some two agreements were pertaining to the Nato supplies to Afghanistan via Pakistan, the sources further informed.
Talking to media persons after the meeting chairman of the committee Senator Mian Raza Rabbani said that Secretary Defence, besides presenting the written agreements between United States and Nato with Pakistan, also informed the committee members about the preliminary report of the Pentagon about the Nato attack on Pakistani border posts in Mohmand Agency. To a question, he said the committee would examine these agreements, memo issue and the recommendations of the envoys conference in Dec 30 meeting when they would remain in session for a whole day.
He further said that they had also sought the views of Finance Ministry in the whole matter, besides taking input from Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to gauge the financial fallout in different propositions. To another question, he said the committee would try to submit its recommendations regarding the foreign policy review soon to the Parliament for approval.
Besides Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, members of the committee including Senator Ishaq Dar, Mehtab Khan Abbasi, Senator Professor Khurseed Ahmad, Senator Wasim Sajjad, Senator Abdul Rahim Mandokhel and Munir Khan Orakzai were in attendance.