PM calls APC | Says Washington hurting feelings, 180m ready to defend motherland

KARACHI - Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday warned the US against issuing irresponsible statements and increase contacts with its indispensable ally in war on terror to remove any misunderstandings.

Talking to media persons after inaugurating three expanded berths at Karachi Port, Gilani said the Americans cannot live with us and they cannot live without us, and if they can’t live without us, they should increase contacts with Pakistan to end any misgivings.

The clear message form the prime minister that the US “cannot effectively fight the ongoing war in Afghanistan without Pakistan’s support” came in response to allegations levelled by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Admiral Mike Mullen and Defence Secretary Leon Panetta that Pakistan’s ISI is backing Haqqani group that carried out attacks on US Embassy in Kabul, and telling a Senate committee that Pakistan was “exporting violence to Afghanistan”.

PM Gilani also advised the US to avoid issuing statements unacceptable to the Pakistani people and said the US should take care of the feelings of millions of Pakistanis while commenting on important issues. Giving a blunt reply to threats issued by various US officials over the past week that they could carry out attacks inside Pakistan, Gilani said: “180 million Pakistanis will always stand to defend their motherland and its sovereignty” and no compromise will be acceptable on country’s independence and sovereignty.

The prime minister said that a stable Afghanistan was in the interest of Pakistan. “We have good relations with our neighbours and a sovereign, independent and prosperous Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interest.” Pakistan was a part of solution in Afghanistan and not a part of problem, he added.

Speaking in a soft tone, Gillani said: “We want our relations with the US to be based on mutual respect and mutual interest.“ In a way of giving a wise suggestion, he said, “Our request to US would be that it should keep political space for us so that we can communicate their political importance to our people.“

Admiral Mike Mullen had testified before the Senate Armed Forces Committee that Pakistan’s ISI was closely tied with the Haqqani network and had played a role in the September 13 attack on US Embassy in Kabul. He declared that the Haqqani network was a “veritable arm of the ISI”.

Meanwhile the prime minister has called an all-party conference (APC) to deliberate on the issue of strained ties with the US, and seek suggestions from all the political quarters to formulate a comprehensive policy on the nature and extent of relationship with the US