Pakistan’s senators have slammed the Kerry-Lugar Bill saying that it targets the coun

[waraich66]

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s senators have slammed the Kerry-Lugar Bill saying that it targets the country’s nuclear weapons.


Opposition senators, including Raja Zafar ul Haq, Waseem Sajjad, Ishaq Dar, urged the government to reject it as it was against the independence and sovereignty of Pakistan.

The Nation quoted Raja Zafarul Haq as saying that the monitoring of the Pakistan Army and courts will pose a serious threat to national integrity.

“What purpose it would serve once the bill is approved”, Raja Zafarul Haq asked the Senate Chairman.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that Pakistan would only react when the US President signs the proposed bill.

Leader of the House, Syed Nayar Hussain Bukhari while responding to points of order about Kerry-Lugar Bill said it was such an issue needs decision of the entire nation.

“It is US legislation, not of Pakistan”, he said requesting all the members to study the Bill thoroughly before the House takes it up for debate.

Earlier, Pakistan’s envoy to the US, Hussain Haqqani, had said the Kerry-Lugar Bill has no provision to restrict Islamabad’s nuclear programme.

However, he added, that the bill prevents Pakistan from being part of any outward proliferation.

He warned that many conditions attached with the bill may reflect lack of trust.

“Too much conditionality is never good, because it reflects suspicion. Once we have built the relationship of trust that we’re seeking to build between the United States and Pakistan, many of these concerns on both sides will go away,” Haqqani said. (ANI)

 

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Uproar in NA over Kerry-Lugar Bill

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13 (APP): The National Assembly on Monday witnessed an uproar after an opposition member passed some remarks against government’s stance on Kerry-Lugar Bill as well as Pakistan’s ambassador in the United States, prompting the chair to adjourn the House till Wednesday. Speaking on a point of order, the Pakistan Muslim League Parliamentary Leader Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat expressed his concerns over Kerry-Lugar Bill and criticized role of Pakistan’s ambassador in the United States, said the maximum time should be allocated for threadbare discussion on the Bill.

He said the debate on the issue would help the government to express its stance to the US administration, with the backing of Parliament.

His remarks against the government invited the ire of PPP MNA Dr Azra Fazal. Later, she was joined by other members from ruling party. Rising from seats, they chanted slogans against the opposition member having the floor.

The parliamentarians from opposition benches also gave the matching response and this situation prevailed for about ten minutes with Abdul Qadir Patel, in chair, requesting the members to observe decorum of the House.

The chair also expunged some personal remarks made by both the sides.

But a PPP MNA Jamshed Dasti could not control his nerves and shouted against the opposition member moving from his seat to the front row.

The chair asked Minister for Labor and Manpower Syed Khurshid Shah to intervene into, who, too could not bring the situation to normal.

Meanwhile, Minister for Interior Rehman Malik took Jamshed Dasti to his seat.

The remarks by Jamshed Dasti aggrevated the situation and ignited an allegation trade from both sides.

The chair adjourned House to meet again on Wednesday at 1600 hours.

Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - Uproar in NA over Kerry-Lugar Bill

 

[aimail]

One thing is clear from what happened so far, is crisis on Kerry-Lugar bill are manufactured not genuine.

Some forces are using it as a tool to hammer the democratically elected Govt. They have nothing to do with the interests of the country. Setting the matter of conditionalities aside , the Kerry-Lugar civilian assistance package promises to reconstitute relations with the Pakistani people by making sustained investments in educational, judicial, governing, and developmental institutions that provide for their welfare. It is also fact these forces have nothing to do with conditionality’s, they are striving for personal interests and dreaming for mid-term elections. The very wish of rule has driven them made and they are unable to see interest of people of Pakistan.

In terms of conditionalities, there is nothing which undermines Pakistan’s sovereignty. U.S has already said there is nothing in this bill that impinges on Pakistani sovereignty -- period, end of issue. Two powerful Senate and House committees were also preparing a Joint Explanatory Statement to assuage concerns in Pakistan over the bill, and provide assurances that the US has no intention of interfering with Pakistan's sovereignty.

These statements make it clear, how some elements are playing with public sentiments and detracting them from reality. One must be sure these forces can never by more patriotic that present Govt because it was the PPP who gave its blood for this country, not sold it like others.