New policy to give peace a chance,

ISLAMABAD: The political and military leadership of the country on Thursday decided to give a new direction to the war on terror and resolved at the All Parties Conference to initiate a dialogue with the people of the tribal areas, that is, the Taliban and militants. The decision will be implemented through a proper mechanism which was not defined in the resolution adopted by the APC but which will come as a surprise to US policy-makers who are planning to escalate their war against the Taliban and other groups inside Pakistan. The nation on Thursday spoke in unison at the All Parties Conference where the political leadership rejected the recent US allegations against Pakistan as being without substance and derogatory to the partnership approach and gave the loud and clear message that Pakistan would not allow anyone to undermine its sovereignty. The APC was held at the Prime Minister House and was attended by more than 55 political leaders and military officials of the country. The moot held a marathon session of nine hours and came out with a 13-point joint resolution. The consensus joint resolution adopted new guidelines for formulating foreign policy and the re-shaping of the dialogue process in the tribal areas of Pakistan. It envisaged a new direction and policy with a focus on peace and reconciliation. “‘Give peace a chance’ must be the guiding central principle henceforth,” the resolution read. The APC also agreed to form a parliamentary committee to oversee the implementation of earlier resolutions as well as the APC’s resolution and said progress on the same would be made public on a monthly basis. The 13-point resolution that emerged after the APC reads:-“As a peace-loving country, Pakistan desires to establish and maintain friendly and cordial relations with all countries of the world on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual interest and respect. All Parties Conference recognised that there has to be a new direction and policy with a focus on peace and reconciliation. ‘Give peace a chance’ must be the guiding central principle henceforth. Pakistan must initiate dialogue with a view to negotiate peace with our own people in the tribal areas and a proper mechanism for this be put in place. We need to further enhance our brotherly bilateral relations with Afghanistan at three levels on priority basis: government to government, institution to institution and people to people. The APC recognised the sacrifices of the people and the security forces of Pakistan, especially the people of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and tribal areas. The international community needs to recognise these tremendous sacrifices as well as the colossal magnitude of destruction in Pakistan. Pakistan can enhance its self-reliance comprehensively. Trade, not aid, should clearly be the way forward. We should also focus on internal economic and tax reforms as well as resource mobilisation and the curbing of corruption. Defence of Pakistan’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity is a sacred duty which shall never be compromised. National interests are supreme and shall guide Pakistan’s policy and response to all challenges at all times. Pakistan shall continue to endeavour to promote stability and peace at the regional and global planes, in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. All earlier unanimous resolutions of the Parliament, the recommendation of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on National Security must be implemented. APC rejected the recent assertions and baseless allegations made against Pakistan. Such assertions are without substance and derogatory to a partnership approach. The Pakistani nation affirms its full solidarity and support for the Armed Forces of Pakistan in defeating any threat to national security. A parliamentary committee be formed to oversee the implementation of earlier resolutions as well as this Resolution and progress on the same be made public on monthly basis.” Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha briefed the participants of the APC on the challenges to national security. Khar apprised the participants of her meetings with US government officials during her visit to New York to attend the UN General Assembly session. She said she assertively presented Pakistan’s case during her meetings and highlighted the immense sacrifices rendered by the nation in the war against terrorism. The ISI DG briefed the meeting about the challenges the country was facing on the military front. The briefings were followed by a question-and-answer session. The meeting was attended among others by PML-N President Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, PML-Q President Ch Shujaat Hussain, Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi, MQM, ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Syed Munawar Hassan, Pakistan Terik-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, former PM Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, PkMAP, Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, PML-A, Allama Sajid Ali Naqvi, TJP, Haji Munir Khan Aurakzai, Fata, PPP-S chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi, (NPP), Senator Mir Israrullah Zehri, BNP(A), Brig (r) Muhammad Iqbal Khan, Tahrik Minhaj ul Quran, Syed Shujat Ali Bukhari, TNFJ, Maulana Sami ul Haq, JUI-S, M Sarwat Ejaz Qadri, President Sunni Tahrik, Haji Muhammad Hanif Tayyab, President Nizam-e-Mustafa Party, Sahibzada Abu Khair Muhammad Zubair, JUP-N, Pir Fazal Haq, President Jamiat Mashaikh, Khan Amanullah Khan, President PML (Qayyum Group), Sahibzada Haji Muhammad Fazal Karim, Chairman Sunni Ittehad Council, Rasool Baksh Palejo, Awami Tahrik, Syed Jalal Mahmood Shan, Sindh United Party, Abid Hassan Manto, Pakistan Worker Party, Dr Paul Bhatti, Adviser to the PM on National Harmony, Ameer Hussain Gillani, Mufti Feroze Din Hazarvi, Muthidda Ulema Forum Pakistan, Abdul Qadeer Khamosh, Allama Tahir Ashrafi, Chairman Ulema Council Bait ul Aman, Sardar Attique Ahmad Khan, former PM AJK, Ch Nisar Ali Khan, Leader of Opposition in NA, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Leader of Opposition in Senate, Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, Leader of House in Senate, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Minister for Finance, Mrs Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Rehman Malik, Minister for Interior, Syed Khurshid Ahmad Shah, Minister for Religious Affairs, Senator Jahangir Badar, Senator Dr Zaheeruddin Babar Awan, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nazar Mohammad Gondal, Salman Bashir, Secretary Foreign Affairs, Lt Gen (R) Syed Athar Ali, Secretary Defence. Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shamim Wynne, Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Lt Gen Shuja Pasha were also present. Earlier, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Leader of House in Senate Nayyar Bokhari, MNA Qamar Zaman Kaira and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf received the guests on their arrival at the PM House. Briefing the media at the conclusion of APC, Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan congratulated the nation on the passage of a unanimous resolution unanimously by all parties. She said Pakistan wanted to establish and maintain cordial, peaceful and friendly relations with all countries of the world on the basis of equality, mutual interest and respect. “Give peace a chance” should be the guiding light for all, she added. Talking to newsmen after the APC, Sheikh Rashid said that through the APC, Pakistan had conveyed a message of peace to the world and clearly exhibited that Pakistan stood united to protect its sovereignty. He said COAS Gen Kayani briefed the participants about his recent meeting with US military officials. He said the APC was clearly told that the ISI had no links with the Haqqanis but if there was contact with the political cell of the Haqqani network, it was only to reach a future political solution in Afghanistan. APP adds: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman couldn’t sit through the complete duration of the APC and left the conference after reportedly feeling dizzy and unwell. Talking to media before the APC, Maulana Fazl observed that such moots had taken place in the past. He said parliamentary resolutions on the issue at hand should be followed in letter and spirit to achieve the ends for which the APC was convened. He said Pakistan should review its policies vis-‡-vis US. He said the US was pressuring Pakistan to divert the world’s attention from its current failures in Afghanistan. PPI adds: Law enforcement agencies remained on high alert on Thursday as the country’s civil and military leadership gathered for the APC in Islamabad. Massive security arrangements were made for the Conference. Security was beefed up on Wednesday night in the federal capital with mounted police patrol and strict search at pickets.