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ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah urged the federal government to learn a lesson from the past and desist from making any interference in foreign conflicts.
“We should learn a lesson from our past mistakes. We are still paying a heavy price due to the Afghan war.,” Shah said, while speaking to Nadeem Malik in SAMAA’s current affairs program, “Nadeem Malik Live” today.
He said that the government should have taken the Parliament into confidence about its understanding Saudi Arabia during the visit of crown prince. Some federal ministers were creating confusion themselves about the provision of $1.5 billion by Saudis.
“People across Pakistan are very clear that we should not meddle in external wars. We should remain neutral in Syrian civil war or any other conflict,” he said.
About the ongoing talks with Taliban, Shah said that opposition parties don’t want point scoring on this national issue.
“We are very clear that we pray for the restoration of peace. We have no issue how it is restored. It is up to the government to decide either it wants to achieve it through talks or by operation.”
About Musharraf’s treason trial, Shah said that the government made a big mistake by opting for Nov 3 emergency instead of Oct 12 martial law.
Speaking on this occasion, former IB chief Masood Sharif Khattak disagreed with Shah’s assertion that government or army would make a shift in Syria policy for $1.5 billion. “There is no way Pakistan army can go to Syria. It is impossible.”
“According to my opinion, Pakistan will not join this power game considering we have already been facing too many internal challenges.”
To a question, Khattak said that he does not agree with this analysis that Taliban were trying to buy time through talks with the government. He said that this view would have got credence if the war had just begun. This is a 12-year-old insurgency; three or months won’t change anything if talks are given a chance, he opined.
“Pakistan is a very strong country. It is impossible to say that one can take over Pakistan.”
Senior PML-N leader Irfanullah Marwat said that it was not the first time that a Pakistani government has received money from a foreign friend for budgetary support. “Governments in the past got such support for at least two dozen times,” he claimed.
About Syria, he maintained that there would be no paradigm shift in government’s policy. “We cannot interfere in Syria. We are already paying a huge price for joining the Afghan war in 1970s.”
About Altaf Hussain’s address, he said that if MQM was so concerned, its leader should first return to Pakistan.
Taking part in the show, MQM leader Mustafa Azizabadi recalled that Pakistan was dragged into the Afghan war in 1970s. As a result, Pakistan and Pakistanis are paying its price.
“Once again, we can see that Pakistan is being pushed to another external war. Unfortunately, our rulers are repeating the same mistakes. Whatever is happening in Syria? There is nothing hidden. It is now clear that why we have been given $1.5 billion.
If a new policy is being adopted, it is not being done in Pakistan’s own interest.”
Pakistan is a sovereign and independent country. Every sovereign country makes decision in its own interest. “If rulers make decisions for few dollars, the nation should reject it. “It has become a habit that we take decisions at the dictation of foreign countries.” - SAMAA
“We should learn a lesson from our past mistakes. We are still paying a heavy price due to the Afghan war.,” Shah said, while speaking to Nadeem Malik in SAMAA’s current affairs program, “Nadeem Malik Live” today.
He said that the government should have taken the Parliament into confidence about its understanding Saudi Arabia during the visit of crown prince. Some federal ministers were creating confusion themselves about the provision of $1.5 billion by Saudis.
“People across Pakistan are very clear that we should not meddle in external wars. We should remain neutral in Syrian civil war or any other conflict,” he said.
About the ongoing talks with Taliban, Shah said that opposition parties don’t want point scoring on this national issue.
“We are very clear that we pray for the restoration of peace. We have no issue how it is restored. It is up to the government to decide either it wants to achieve it through talks or by operation.”
About Musharraf’s treason trial, Shah said that the government made a big mistake by opting for Nov 3 emergency instead of Oct 12 martial law.
Speaking on this occasion, former IB chief Masood Sharif Khattak disagreed with Shah’s assertion that government or army would make a shift in Syria policy for $1.5 billion. “There is no way Pakistan army can go to Syria. It is impossible.”
“According to my opinion, Pakistan will not join this power game considering we have already been facing too many internal challenges.”
To a question, Khattak said that he does not agree with this analysis that Taliban were trying to buy time through talks with the government. He said that this view would have got credence if the war had just begun. This is a 12-year-old insurgency; three or months won’t change anything if talks are given a chance, he opined.
“Pakistan is a very strong country. It is impossible to say that one can take over Pakistan.”
Senior PML-N leader Irfanullah Marwat said that it was not the first time that a Pakistani government has received money from a foreign friend for budgetary support. “Governments in the past got such support for at least two dozen times,” he claimed.
About Syria, he maintained that there would be no paradigm shift in government’s policy. “We cannot interfere in Syria. We are already paying a huge price for joining the Afghan war in 1970s.”
About Altaf Hussain’s address, he said that if MQM was so concerned, its leader should first return to Pakistan.
Taking part in the show, MQM leader Mustafa Azizabadi recalled that Pakistan was dragged into the Afghan war in 1970s. As a result, Pakistan and Pakistanis are paying its price.
“Once again, we can see that Pakistan is being pushed to another external war. Unfortunately, our rulers are repeating the same mistakes. Whatever is happening in Syria? There is nothing hidden. It is now clear that why we have been given $1.5 billion.
If a new policy is being adopted, it is not being done in Pakistan’s own interest.”
Pakistan is a sovereign and independent country. Every sovereign country makes decision in its own interest. “If rulers make decisions for few dollars, the nation should reject it. “It has become a habit that we take decisions at the dictation of foreign countries.” - SAMAA