Foreign policy to be approved by parliament, says Mazari

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari on Wednesday maintained that the PTI government would get the foreign policy approved by parliament unlike the practice of the PML-N government of throwing recommendation in dustbin.

Responding to criticism by the PML-N parliamentarian Khawaja Muhammad Asif of the incumbent government, the minister said the world was giving respect to the stand of the government on international issues saying the foreign policy would not be based on compromises.

She said that due to the stance taken by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the world is seeing the dawn of a new foreign policy in Pakistan. She said that during his visit to Saudi Arabia, the prime minister made it clear that Pakistan is desirous of peace in the Muslim Ummah and offered the role of facilitator in ending conflicts.

She said it was also the first time that the UK agreed to cooperate with Pakistan in checking money laundering. She also questioned as to why the PML-N government accepted jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in case of Kulbhushan Jadev after refusing the same once. "Then Pakistan government accepted the jurisdiction of the ICJ after the Indian government moved the forum," she said.

Dr Mazari said the PML-N government also made compromises while developing relations with India with particular reference to the Kashmir issue. In this regard, she recalled then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif refused to meet the Kashmiri leadership when he visited India to attend the oath-taking ceremony of his Indian counterpart. "We are still facing side effects of the compromises made by the previous government," she said. Shireen Mazari said that Khawaja Asif, who is criticising foreign policy of the present government, should remember that the PML-N did not have any foreign minister during the first four years of its tenure.

The minister said the government was always ready to respond if the opposition wanted to do politics on every issue. "Otherwise, they should sit together with us to find solutions to problems being faced by the country," she offered. She also asked the PML-N leaders to see track record of their government about different issues before leveling any charge of taking u-turn against the incumbent government.

Turning to the issue of giving citizenship to Afghan refugees and illegal immigrants, she maintained any decision in this regard would be taken in consultation with all the political parties and stakeholders.

The Minister for Human Rights said Balochistan would now be given due share in their resources and development. She regretted that the previous governments neglected the province and never fulfilled the promises made with people of Balochistan. The minister said the government is also working to address the issue of enforced disappearances.

Nawab Muhammad Yousaf Talpur of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) said the government should give special attention to development of agriculture sector. He said the farmers should be given subsidy on fertilizers, seeds and other inputs. Andleeb Abbas of PTI said previous governments are responsible for the current poor state of economy. He said the PTI government will bring a change in the lives of people by bringing the economy on the right track.

Meanwhile, PPP’s senior leader Syed Khursheed Shah continued to point out absence of the prime minister and his cabinet members. He said that Nawaz Sharif did not attend the National Assembly session.

He said it was responsibility of the government to complete the quorum. "If we leave the House, only 35 members will be left behind," he said. Earlier, PML-N leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif accused the PTI government of earning embarrassment for Pakistan due to its immature foreign policy, pursued during the first month.

“The performance which the government showed at foreign front, earned nothing but embarrassment as it demonstrated immature and childish approach to all the issues,” Khawaja Asif while lashing out the government during his speech on mini-budget debate said.

The House witnessed heated speeches on the floor of the House after the PML-N parliamentarian hurled personal attacks at Finance Minister Asad Umar and his family while referring to Hamudur Rehman report. Federal Minister Dr Shireen Mazari, however, settled the score while giving response in the same coin. “If this was the case, why the PML-N government elevated the brother of Asad Umar to the slot of Sindh governor,” Dr Mazari asked.

Khawaja Asif pointed out that India’s refusal to hold dialogue at the foreign minister’s level also jolted Pakistan’s respect at the international level. He said following the visit of US secretary of state, the PTI government termed it beginning of a new era in relations between the two countries. “The US secretary of state during his stay in India exposed the claims of Pakistan government regarding his visit to Pakistan,” he said adding the statement of US secretary of state in India was not based on friendship when he hurled accusations against Pakistan regarding terrorism. He said it was also a matter of shame when the government said the prime minister did not receive ca all from the French president.

With regard to the visit of the premier to Saudi Arabia, it was claimed that the Saudi government had given 10 billion dollars. “It should be clarified whether it was 10 billion or 10 arab,” he said.

Khawaja Asif, who also held portfolio of Defence and Foreign Affairs in PML-N government, regretted the PTI government confusion and doubts about the sensitive CPEC project within one month in power.

He observed the PTI government also took a u-turn on the issue of giving citizenship to Afghan refugees saying the prime minister also did not keep in view the Citizenship Act 1951 while giving the statement.

He pointed out that no country of the world has a policy of giving citizenship to refugees of illegal immigrants in large number in one go. He took a strong exception to part of speech of Asad Umar when he said then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was reluctant to take the name of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadev. “This is not proper way to talk about a three-time prime minister,” he said.