Islamabad, April 11, 2023 (PPI-OT):The National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs highlighted that Doha deal proved detrimental to the region’s peace and stability. The Committee underlined the need for transparency and engagement of people’s representatives in Pak-US counter-terrorism cooperation.
The Chairman of the Committee MNA Mohsin Dawar stressed that counter-terrorism cooperation and Defense dialogues should be negotiated with an aim to advance Pakistan’s national interest as well promote regional stability. Secretary Foreign Affairs Mr. Asad Majeed, officials of MoFA and Ministry of Defense briefed the Committee on Pak-US counter-terrorism cooperation and mid-level defense dialogues.
Speaking on the consequences of Doha Agreement, the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Mohsin Dawar stated that the nature of the agreement and negotiation was exclusionary in nature and proved detrimental to the regional stability.
He added that Pakistan facilitated the deal without realizing its potentially adverse implications for the regional peace and stability. Referring to engagement of the elected representatives on such matters, the Committee cited Parliament’s decision on conflict in Yemen that helped Pakistan maintain a neutral position in the conflict. The members underlined the need for taking Parliament in confidence on such important cooperation and defense dialogues.
The Committee was briefed about Pakistan’s relationship with the US in the context of counter-terror cooperation. It was highlighted that Pak-US Counter-Terrorism Dialogue took place in Islamabad on March 6th and 7th. Similarly, Pak-US mid-level defense dialogue took place in 2021 and 2023 in Washington.
The officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintained that such strategic dialogues were revived after a gap with significant changes in the format of the dialogue. It was revealed that two additional tracks have been added to Pak-US strategic dialogues including Health and Climate Change.
Responding to the members’ queries, the officials of MoFA highlighted that dialogue with the US remained unabated and continued under different umbrellas.
Besides Chairman of the Standing Committee the meeting was attended by Mr. Muhammad Khan Saha, Ms. Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Mr. Noor-ul-Hassan Tanvir, Mr. Nawab Sher, Mr. Ahmad Hussain Deharr and Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani MNAs
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