Pakistan: Prime Minister: “We have a strategic partnership which we believe, serves our mutual interests. It is based on mutual respect and mutual trust.”

Associated Press of Pakistan

Gilani regrets US unilateral action; warns of retaliation if strategic assets attacked

ISLAMABAD, May 9 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday regretted the “unilateral action” by the United States in Abbottabad and warned that any attack on Pakistan’s strategic assets would be retaliated with full force.“Let no one draw any wrong conclusions. Any attack against Pakistan’s strategic assets whether overt or covert will find a matching response,” Gilani told the National Assembly in a policy statement over the US military operation in Abbottabad on May 2.“Pakistan reserves the right to retaliate with full force. No one should underestimate the resolve and capability of our nation and Armed Forces to defend our sacred homeland,” he said amidst heavy thumping of desks by the Parliamentarians.

The statement by the Prime Minister follows the May 2 US attack deep inside Pakistan’s territory by a group of its Navy SEALs that killed the 9/11 terrorist mastermind and leader of al-Qaeda Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.

He said an investigation into the matter had been ordered which shall be conducted by Adjutant General of the Pakistan Army Lt. Gen. Javed Iqbal.

He also informed the Parliament that the US used its technological ability to evade Pakistan’s radar system.

The Prime Minister pointing to the US military operation said “Our people are rightly incensed on the issue of violation of sovereignty as typified by the covert US air and ground assault on the Osama hideout in Abbottabad.”

He said it has raised questions about Pakistan’s defence capability and the security of country’s strategic assets. He said the Abbottabad episode illustrates that Pakistan’s military quickly responded to the US Forces covert incursion.
“The Air Force was ordered to scramble. Ground units arrived at the scene quickly ... Our response demonstrates that our Armed Forces reacted, as was expected of them.”

He, however said that there was no denying the US technological ability to evade radars.

“We regret that this unilateral action was undertaken without our concurrence,” Gilani said.

“Unilateralism runs the inherent risk of serious consequences,” he said and pointed that the operation could have gone wrong as was seen by the abandoning of a US helicopter that had to be destroyed on the site.
Gilani admitted an intelligence failure, not only of Pakistan, but also of global agencies.

“Yes, there has been an intelligence failure. It is not only ours but of all the intelligence agencies of the world.”

Gilani said the Al-Qaeda chief along with other operators had managed to elude global intelligence agencies for a long time. He said he was constantly being tracked not only by the ISI but also by other intelligence agencies.

“It was the ISI that passed key leads to CIA that enabled the US intelligence to use superior technological assets and focus on the area in which Osama bin Laden was eventually found.”

He said there were legal and moral issues that relate to the question of sovereignty and pointed that the Security Council while exhorting UN member states to join their efforts against terrorism has repeatedly emphasized that this be done in accordance with international law, human rights and humanitarian law.
Regarding the drone attacks inside the Pakistan territory, the Prime Minister said Pakistan has repeatedly said these attacks constitute a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and were counter productive.

“On this question which relates to operational matters, we have strong differences with the United States,” he added.

The Prime Minister also “emphatically rejected” that the media spin-masters have tended to portray a false divide between the state institutions of Pakistan.
Prime Minister Gilani said political leadership was supportive of the strengthening of all of Pakistan’s institutions.

“On all key issues, all stakeholders are consulted through inter-agency processes. The statements issued by the Foreign Ministry and the Military on the death of Osama bi Laden were authorized by the Government,” he said.

Gilani also affirmed government’s full confidence in the high command of the Pakistan Armed Forces and the Inter Services Intelligence.

“Indeed the ISI, is a national asset and has the full support of the Government. We are proud of its considerable accomplishments in the anti-terror campaign,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister pointed that cooperation in counter-terrorism warrants a partnership approach which fully accommodates Pakistan’s interests and respect for the clearly stipulated “Red Lines”.

Terming Parliament as the right forum to discuss national issues, Gilani said the joint session of the Parliament had been called on May 13 and directed the concerned services authorities in the Armed Forces to give an in-camera briefing to the joint session on the subject.

Prime Minister Gilani who had “extensive interaction” with President Asif Ali Zardari and the Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani over the issue told the Parliament that all state institutions were in complete harmony.
“Pakistan will not relent in this national cause and was determined not to let its soil be used for terrorism.”

The Prime Minister in his comprehensive address revisited the past and spoke on the events leading to invasion by the Soviet Forces of Afghanistan, the birth of the freedom movement with the support of the world and the eventual creation of the al-Qaeda terrorist organisation.

Gilani underscored that Pakistan was confident of its bright future, adding that people were its real strength who were determined to over-come all challenges.
He mentioned of the ongoing multi-track process of engagement with all major powers including the United States. He said Pakistan’s engagement with states within the region was being intensified in the interest of shared stability and prosperity.
He termed counter-terrorism as a “national priority” and said as Al-Qaeda had declared war on Pakistan, Osama Bin Laden’s elimination from the scene attested to the success of the anti-terror campaign.

Gilani called intelligence cooperation critical for the attainment of goals of anti-terrorism, adding that blame game serves no purpose.

He said security policies were constantly being reviewed to enhance defence capabilities and clarified that there were no differences among the state institutions.

Gilani said the nation was united and fully committed to sparing no sacrifice to uphold the national dignity and honour; to safeguard the supreme national interests “by all means and all resources at our command.”

“No other nation has successfully met so many challenges. No other people have been put to so many tests by history and by circumstances of geography and geo politics. No other nation has borne the collective burden of the international community,” he said.

Gilani said Pakistan suffered from the effects of the bygone era when the Afghans and Mujahideen were persuaded by the US officials to wage Jihad as a national duty and in the name of Islam.

He said the international community must recall the decade of the ‘90s which saw the Arab volunteers that joined the Jihad mutate into Al-Qaeda.

He raised the questions that who was responsible for the birth of Al-Qaeda and responsible for making the myth of Osama bin Laden.

“Pakistan alone cannot be held to account for flawed policies and blunders of others. Pakistan is not the birth place of Al-Qaeda. We did not invite Osama bin Laden to Pakistan or even to Afghanistan. It is fair to ask who was Osama bin Laden and what did he personify?” Gilani categorically said.

The Prime Minister called Osama bin Laden as the most wanted terrorist and enemy number one of the civilized world.

He said elimination of Osama bin Laden, who launched waves after waves of terrorists attacks against innocent Pakistanis, was “indeed justice done.”
“However, we are not so naive to declare victory; mission accomplished, and turn around,” he said.

He said the myth and legacy of Osama bin Laden remained to be demolished, adding that the anger and frustration of ordinary people over injustice, oppression and tyranny that he sought to harness to fuel the fire of terrorism in the world, needed to be addressed.

Gilani said Pakistan had already cautioned the international forces on the consequences of a flawed military campaign that could lead to the dispersal of Al-Qaeda.

“Al-Qaeda leaders and foot soldiers sought hideouts everywhere, in the mountains, and deep inside cities, including Pakistan,” he said.

He said, “We did not invite Al-Qaeda to Pakistan. In fact, for the first time, our armed forces were deployed in the Tirah Valley to form a security cordon to interdict Al-Qaeda during the Tora Bora bombings.”

He said 248 Al-Qaeda members were captured by Pakistan’s armed forces and said subsequently, ISI prosecuted the anti-terror strategy with a high degree of professionalism and superb determination.

He mentioned that some 40 of the key Al-Qaeda operatives including Chief Operation Officer Faraj Al Libbi and Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, the master planner of 9/11 were captured by the ISI. He said Pakistan’s armed forces also carried out successful operations in Swat, Malakand, South Waziristan, Mohmand and Bajour Agencies against terrorists and militants.

“No other country in the world and no other security agency has done so much to interdict Al-Qaeda than the ISI and our armed forces,” he said.

He said, “It is disingenuous for anyone to blame Pakistan or state institutions of Pakistan including the ISI and the armed forces for being in cahoots with the Al-Qaeda.”

He said it was Al-Qaeda and its affiliates that carried out hundreds of suicide bombings in nearly every town and city of Pakistan and also targeted political leaders, state institutions, the ISI and the General Headquarters.

Prime Minister Gilani rejected the allegations on Pakistan of complicity or incompetence as absurd and said speculative narratives in the public domain were meant to create despondency.

“We will not allow our detractors to succeed in offloading their own shortcomings and errors of omission and commission in a blame game that stigmatizes Pakistan,” he said.

He said the issue of Osama’s hideout needs a rational answer, adding that recrimination and misplaced rhetoric was self-defeating.

Gilani said drones are given out as an instrument to fight terror, however Pakistan had repeatedly said these attacks constitute a “violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and were counter productive”.

He said this matter relates to operational matters and Pakistan had strong differences with the United States on it.

Gilani dispelled any apprehensions being voiced about Pakistan’s relations with the United States and said Pakistan attaches high importance to its relations with the US.

“We have a strategic partnership which we believe, serves our mutual interests. It is based on mutual respect and mutual trust.”

He said Pakistan and the US had strategic convergence, adding that the dissonance that finds hype in the media, is about operational and tactical matters.

“We have, however, agreed that whenever we find ourselves on “conflictual” paths and disagree, we should make efforts to reach common understanding by deeper and more intense exchange of views,” he said.

He said Pak-US communications at the official and diplomatic levels had been good, productive and straight forward and that had agreed to a calendar of engagements.
He mentioned that Afghanistan, Pakistan and the US had agreed to form a Core Group for promoting and facilitating efforts for reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan.
He said there had been a sea-change in relations with Afghanistan, adding that the destiny of Afghanistan and Pakistan was inter-linked.

“We must assume full ownership and responsibility for realizing our shared vision of stability and prosperity,” he said.

With India, Gilani said Pakistan embarked on an important process of engagement that should yield dividends for two peoples and for peoples of South Asia, as a whole.

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