Opposition unites against Kerry-Lugar bill

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Leader of opposition in NA claims bill grants country’s military command to US chief of staff
* Says his party will not launch any movement to destabilise government

By Zulfiqar Ghuman

ISLAMABAD: Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) from both the opposition and treasury benches on Wednesday criticised the government for “compromising on national sovereignty” by agreeing to certain clauses of the Kerry-Lugar bill.

Initiating debate on the controversial bill in the National Assembly, Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman declared that Pakistan needed aid, but not if it was attached to insult. They urged the government to deny any US aid that required a compromise of national security and asked it to request a revision of the legislation.

US command: Chaudhry Nisar said the conditions attached to the assistance in the bill placed restrictions on the country’s nuclear programme and allowed the US access to the country’s scientists. He claimed it was also an indirect acceptance of the accusation that Pakistan’s security and intelligence elements were linked with militants. Referring to military expenditures and promotions, he said the bill placed the country’s military command under the US chief of staff.

The PML-N leader also expressed surprise over a federal minister defending the bill and claiming the US was working in Pakistan’s national interest and urged the government against abdicating its authority to the US. “Certain conditions, such as a democratic government, are in accordance with our wishes but we should not be dictated by foreign countries,” he added. He said the US had only considered its own interests in the bill and the government and parliament should adhere to Pakistan’s best interests.

No movement: Referring to mentions of Quetta and Muridke in the bill, the leader of the opposition termed it a success for the Indian lobby and asked the government to dismiss the lobbyists it had hired. “The government should also dismiss its ambassador who, according to our information, is responsible for the conditions referring to the armed and security forces,” he said. He assured the government his party would stand by it in its efforts to request a revision of the bill. “I also assure the government that we will not participate in any movement designed to destabilise the government. We have learnt lessons from history,” he said, referring to his and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s reported meeting with the chief of army staff. He said the government should initiate proceedings against former president Pervez Musharraf instead of seeking US aid.

Listen up: Meanwhile, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, whose speech was interrupted by a lack of quorum, advised the government to respond to public criticism and refuse to abide by the conditions in the bill. “These conditions will compromise our sovereignty and our ability to make independent decisions,” he said. He said the government’s polices were already under criticism and being dubbed a continuation of Musharraf’s polices. “We should listen to the other side and keep our national interest supreme,” he added. He said there was no doubt Pakistan needed assistance, but it should not allow the US to determine who was a terrorist and who was not.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_28