Posted on 03/26/2011 3:11:07 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday expressed serious concerns over foreign forces strike on Libya and demanded that no country from Muslim Umma should be fractured in name of democracy and human rights.
Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs Salman Bashir said “Pakistan’s position is very clear and principled. Everyone should respect country’s sovereignty,” he stated.
He said Pakistan has raised serious questions on the declaration of Libya as ‘No Fly Zone’, though it was also opposed by India, Russia and China.The foreign secretary categorically said that no state should be damaged to fracture the unity of Muslim Umma, stressing that Organization of Islamic Conference needs to play role. “Each country should keep in mind the lofty objective of Islamic Umma. We are extremely concerned. The priority should be the stability and peace,” he commented.
Salman Bashir said the formula of regime change through foreign intervention is unacceptable rather it is the people to decide, adding Pakistan had supported political dialogue in Bahrain. “In case of Libya, we are concerned as United Nations Security Council resolution is being taken. Libyan situation is somewhat like Afghanistan,” he added.
He said Libyan society was already facing internal issues and hoped that the countries will not fracture and unity will maintain. The secretary informed the committee that out of 15,000 Pakistanis staying Libya, around 5,000 have already been evacuated. He said around three million people are settled in Middle East and African countries that raises country’s concerns amidst prevailing situation.
“We are seeing a great turmoil to undermine the unity of Islamic Umma. The prescriptions of democracy, pluralist and human rights is acceptable but it has to be done as people want and through peaceful means,” secretary commented. Deputy Chairman Senate Jan Muhammad Jamali termed the situation as colonization of 21st century in which Muslims are being targeted.
Jamat-e Islami Senator Professor Khurshid Ahmed seconded Jamali’s viewpoint that it seemed to be 21st century model of colonization.“Though Gaddafi is a self-centered man. He had done a lot of good works too, but what the West has done, is unacceptable,” the senator commented.
Earlier, briefing the committee, Additional Secretary (United Nations and European Commission) Munawar Bhatti gave an overview as what was going on in Middle East states and what factors led to that situation. He said enraged through social media like Facebook and Twitter, around 20,000 people had taken to streets in the first ever protest in Egypt. He said after a referendum voted by 70 percent people, political reforms are being introduced in country like two four-year terms for President and a judicial commission to amend constitution.
In Bahrain, he said 63,000 Pakistanis are settled out of those, 1,000 are working in public sector institutions. Around 3,000 of them reside among Shia community and feel threatened and the government is struggling to shift them to safer places. He said Bahrain’s Shia community feels that Pakistanis are being inducted in police and other institutions to change country’s demography, adding five Pakistanis have already been killed there.
In Libya, he said Gaddafi had improved literacy rate to 82 percent and human development index to fourth highest but at the same time, he had some personal differences with leadership in the region. Bhatti said the UNSC resolution was badly drafted and raised many questions, though the Libyan representatives sitting in UNSC were speaking language to that of Gaddafi.
The additional secretary said two senior officials have been sent to Tripoli to ensure safety of Pakistanis and 5,100 have been evacuated. He was of the view that despite all, people in most of the states respect monarchy and do not want regime change.
Later, the committee chairman Salim Saifullah recommended the government to play a pro-active role to deal with the situation.He said by 2025, Pakistan would become fifth largest populated country in the world and the prevailing circumstances will not leave it unaffected.
He suggested that the government of Pakistan should send missionaries comprising former diplomats and foreign ministers to these countries as its role would held resolve the situation.
Later, an in-camera meeting was held in which the office bearers of foreign affairs ministry briefed the committee members on the relevant issues.
And the hits just keep on coming. Can our “kenetic military actions” in Libya devolve into any further chaos? This situation is getting worse by the moment. We are getting into the foreign policy equivalent of quicksand.
And THAT is better than our present economic situation.
We could be in great doodoo real soon without a true leader.
Much of that article is garbled to the point of confusion. It is interesting that it claims India and Pakistan are both against the NFZ. I have heard that to implement the no fly zone Urkel is sending a million fly swatters to Libya.
“And THAT is better than our present economic situation.”
Just this week a member of the Fed said that the country was on the edge of insolvency. How much more of a warning do we need? Yes, we are looking over the cliff and staring into the abyss.
Pore ickle Sand Savages getting fearful they provoked the Great Satan?
Opening Day of the World Wide ‘Cowboys and Moslims’ copmpetition is approaching.
Obamma and his illegal war is about ready to start wwIII
Hey Mr. Pakastani.
Look up and listen. Do you hear drones buzzing over your head?
Best that you clean out your cockroach nests, before you begin to get concerned about the foreign cockroaches!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.