امریکہ کی زمہ داری تھی کہ افغانستان کا بارڈر بند کرتا کہ کوئی پاکستان نہ آ سکتا۔ ہمایوں اختر خان
امریکی حکومت کا رویہ پاکستان کے بارے میں اس وقت کافی محتاط ہے۔ ہمایوں اختر
امریکی میڈیا اور سیاست دان پاکستانی اداروں پر بہت کیچڑ اچھال رہے ہیں۔ ہمایوں اختر
دہشت گردی کے خلاف جنگ میں سب سے زیادہ قربانیاں پاکستان نے دی ہیں۔ ہمایوں اختر
دنیا اس وقت پاکستانی اداروں کی بیحرمتی کر رہی ہے۔ ہمایوں اختر
ہمارے اپنے ہی لوگوں نے اپنے اداروں کو بدنام کرنے میں کافی کردار ادا کیا ہے۔ شازیہ مری
چند لوگوں نے پوری کوشش کی ہے کہ ادارے تقسیم ہو جایں۔ شازیہ مری
فوج اور آئی ایس آئی اوسامہ کی مدد نہیں کر رہی تھی لیکن کوئی تو کر رہا تھا۔ زاہد خان
جو بھی اوسامہ کی مدد کر رہا تھا اس کا پتہ لگنا چاہئیے۔ زاہد خان
تقریروں سے بات نہیں بنے گی آئیندہ وقت پاکستان کے لئیے بہت مشکل ہے۔ زاہد خان
اب امریکہ باقی لوگوں کے بارے میں بھی کہے گا کہ وہ بھی پاکستان میں ہیں۔ زاہد خان
اسوقت افغانستان میں اینڈ گیم ہو رہی ہے سارا گیم پلان تبدیل ہو چکا ہے۔ ہمایوں اختر
امریکی ہیلی کاپٹر پاکستان سے کسی نہ کسی کی مدد سے ایبٹ آباد تک پہنچے ہیں۔ ہمایوں اختر
اوسامہ بہت بڑا دہشت گرد تھا اس کی موت پر امریکہ کو مبارکباد ہی دی جانی چاہئیے تھی۔ شازیہ مری
افغانستان کی جنگ میں آئی ایس آئی نے جو کردار ادا کیا آج ہم اس کے نتائج بھگت رہے ہیں۔ زاہد خان
جمعہ کے روز ان کیمرہ سیشن میں ایبٹ آباد واقع کی پوری تفصیل بتائی جائے گی۔ شازیہ مری
امریکہ اب پاکستان پر بہت دباؤ ڈالے گا لیکن ہمیں ڈٹ کر مقابلہ کرنا ہو گا۔ ہمایوں اختر خان
کوئی وزیر یہ نہیں بتا سکتا کہ آئیند پاکستان کی پالیسی کیا ہو گی۔ ہمایوں اختر
اسوقت ہمیں اتحاد کی ضرورت ہے ہم سب کو اکٹھے ہونا چاہئیے۔ شازیہ مری
پاکستان کو تمام جہادی لوگوں کو پاکستان سے نکل جانے کے لئیے کہنا ہو گا۔ زاہد خان
SPEECH OF
THE PRIME MINISTER
IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
ON THE
ABBOTTABAD INCIDENT
09 MAY, 2011
Honourable Speaker,
From the Floor of this August House, I wish to take the nation into confidence on the situation arising from the Abbottabad operation and the death of Osama bin Laden.
Early morning, the same day I had extensive consultations with President Zardari, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the Chief of Army Staff, Director General ISI and other important stakeholders on issues relating to Pakistan's national security.
The government's position on the Abbottabad operation and death of Osama bin Laden as enunciated in the official statements was based on extensive inter-agency and inter-departmental consultation process.
Honourable Speaker
In today's age of information explosion, it is important to sift facts from fiction.
Very often it is the virtual or the media reality that obscures the actual. Yet, truth cannot for long be submerged in falsehood.
Fascination for high drama sometimes makes us forget the sequence and context of fast moving events that are splashed on television screens.
However, every development has a context. Its correct appreciation requires a dispassionate view of history. It is well-known that those who forget history are condemned to relive it.
Some of the recent public discourse; narratives and counter narratives, in talk shows and public comments have missed some essential points.
Reaffirmation is necessary.
Let there be no doubt,
We are all united and fully committed to sparing no sacrifice to uphold our national dignity and honour; to safeguard our 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.
Our nation has met all these challenges with supreme confidence, which is borne out of our firm belief in the noble injunctions of our glorious religion Islam, our societal values, our culture and traditions.
Ever since our independence,
Pakistan's foreign policy has always reflected our national ethos which, undoubtedly, transcends considerations of narrow interests or politics of expediency.
Pakistan is not only a state but an idea and an ideal that our courageous and talented people strive, in their daily lives, to translate into reality.
Our democratic and pluralistic polity as epitomized by this august House, State institutions, free press, open and intense public discourse are, indeed, our great strengths.
Our friends can from this discourse fathom the depth of our sentiments, the aspirations of our people, the authentic spirit that guides and inspires them to seek equity, justice, security, peace, progress and prosperity.
For over thirty years,
We opened our homes and our hearts to those who fled the conflict in
I talk of a bygone era. However, it is perhaps necessary to remind everyone about that era which has been so well documented including in the CNN series on the Cold War showing video footage of high ranking US officials exhorting the Afghans and Mujahideen to wage Jihad, to go back to their homes, to go back to their mosques, in the name of Islam and as a national duty. For us, all of this was real. We have continued to suffer from its effects.
Its necessary for us to remind the international community of the decade of the nineties which saw the Arab volunteers, who had joined the Jihad mutate into Al-Qaeda? Who was responsible for the birth of Al-Qaeda? Who was responsible for making the myth of Osama bin Laden?
To find answers to today's question, it is necessary to revisit the not so distant past. Collectively, we must acknowledge facts and see our faces in the mirror of history.
Osama bin Laden was the most wanted terrorist and enemy number one of the civilized world. Elimination of Osama bin Laden, who launched waves after waves of terrorists attacks against innocent Pakistanis, is indeed justice done.
However, we are not so naïve to declare victory; mission accomplished, and turn around.
The myth and legacy of Osama bin Laden remains to be demolished. 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, needs to be addressed. Otherwise, this rage will find new ways of expression.
When we say that in this war against terrorism, Pakistan has lost some 30,000 men, women and children and more than 5,000 armed forces personnel, billions of dollars lost as economic costs; we do not intend to put a price or seek acknowledgement or recognition from any one.
The war against terrorism is our own national priority. Our nation is united in its resolve to eliminate terrorism from our sacred land.
This national consensus was built by our democracy, this Parliament, and the entire political leadership of this country. Our patriotic citizens and State institutions are all united in their resolve to prosecute this campaign against terror to its logical end. We will utilize all means and resources and Insha Allah succeed.
Mr Speaker,
Now, let me briefly retrace the first decade of new millennium. International forces marched into
Even at that time we had cautioned the international forces on the consequences of a flawed military campaign 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
We did not invite Al-Qaeda to
In that operation 248 Al-Qaeda members were captured by our armed forces. Subsequently,
In fact, 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. 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.
This was done with the full support of the nation and in accordance with the political will articulated by the Parliament of
It is disingenuous for anyone to blame
The obvious question that has vexed everyone is how could Osama bin Laden hide in plain sight in the scenic surroundings of Abbottabad. Lets not rush to judgment.
Allegations of complicity or incompetence are absurd. We emphatically reject such accusations. Speculative narratives in the public domain are 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
This issue of the hideout needs a rational answer. Recrimination and misplaced rhetoric is self defeating.
Yes, there has been an intelligence failure. It is not only ours but of all the intelligence agencies of the world.
The Al-Qaeda chief along with other Al-Qaeda operators had managed to elude global intelligence agencies for a long time. 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. All this has been explained in the statements issued by the Foreign Ministry and the ISPR as well as in the detailed briefing by the Foreign Ministry.
Asymmetrical warfare happens to be the tool in vogue against superior conventional forces. Terrorism falls in that category. Osama Bin Laden used terror for whatever cause that he espoused. Hiding in plain sight, as is evident in this case, is perhaps another technique that could be attributed to Osama Bin Laden in the realm of asymmetrical intelligence.
Nonetheless, we are determined to get to the bottom of how, when and why about OBL's presence in Abbottabad. An investigation has been ordered.
Our people are rightly incensed on the issue of violation of sovereignty as typified by the covert
This has raised questions about
As the Abbottabad episode illustrates our Military responded to the
Our response demonstrates that our armed forces reacted, as was expected of them.
Abbottabad hosts a routine Military training institution, which does not require any elaborate special defence arrangement. There is no denying the
Unilateralism runs the inherent risk of serious consequences. Suppose the operation had gone wrong. A
Let no one draw any wrong conclusions. Any attack against
There are of course legal and moral issues that relate to the question of sovereignty. In a generic sense this is a question that continues to vex the international community as a whole. 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.
The drones are given out as an instrument to fight terror. Yet, as we have repeatedly said these attacks constitute a violation of
The media spin masters have tended to portray a false divide between the state institutions of
The political leadership is supportive of the strengthening of all of
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.
Let me also affirm the Government's full confidence in the high command of the
Now let me put the present situation in its proper perspective. Our foremost priority is development. This requires security and stability at home and in the region. The pursuit of this objective is the guiding spirit of our engagement with the international community and in particular major powers as well as regional states.
I must say that this endeavour has found resonance and we are well on the road towards giving this vision tangible form. We realize that the world and in particular the Asian region is undergoing a fundamental and fast transformation.
We are delighted that our all weather friend, the
Apprehensions are being voiced about our relations with the
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.
Our communications at the official and diplomatic levels with the
On 3rd May, Senior Officials of the Three Countries met in
As you know, there has been a sea-change in our relations with
With
I would like to conclude by underscoring the following:-
One
Two Our real strength is our people, who are determined to over-come all challenges.
Three We have an ongoing multi-track process of engagement with all major powers including the
Four Our engagement with states within our region is being intensified in the interest of shared stability and prosperity.
Five Counter-Terrorism is a national priority.
Six Al-Qaeda had declared war on
Seven Intelligence cooperation is critical for the attainment of the goals of anti-terrorism.
Eight Blame games serve no purpose.
Nine An investigation in the matter has been ordered which shall be conducted by Adjutant General of the
Ten Our security policies are constantly reviewed to enhance defence capabilities.
Eleven There are no differences among the State institutions.
Twelve Cooperation in counter-terrorism warrants a partnership approach which fully accommodates
Thirteen
Fourteen Safeguarding and promotion of our national interest is the sole objective of the Government's policies.
Fifteen The Parliament is the right forum to discuss all important national issues. The will of the people shall prevail.
A joint session of the Parliament has been called on the 13th May, 2011. I have directed the concerned services authorities in the armed forces to impart an in-camera briefing to the joint session on the subject.
I look forward to a productive debate in the House.
Thank you.
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