ISLAMABAD: The joint session of the Parliament in a unanimous resolution on Saturday called for immediate halt to drone attacks otherwise Pakistan would be "constrained" to consider necessary steps including withdrawal of transit facility allowed to NATO and ISAF forces.
An over 10-hour detailed briefing to the parliamentarians on killing of Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden on May 2 was given by Director General of Inter Services Intelligence Lt General Ahmed Shuja Pasha, the DG Military (Operations) and the Deputy Chief of Air Staff.
The joint session adopted a unanimous resolution which "strongly asserted that unilateral actions such as those conducted by the US forces in Abbottabad, as well as the continued drone attacks on the territory of Pakistan are not only unacceptable but also constitute violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and humanitarian norms.
The resolution "reaffirmed the resolve of the people and government of Pakistan to uphold Pakistan's sovereignty and national security, which is a sacred duty, at all costs."
It called upon the government to appoint an independent commission on the Abbottabad operation.
The composition and modalities of the commission will be decided after consultation between the Leader of the House in National Assembly Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
Condemning the US unilateral action in Abbottabad on May 2, the a resolution was adopted that it "constitutes a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty".
It further affirmed the resolve of the people and state institutions of Pakistan to safeguard Pakistan's national interests and strategic assets and, in this context, underscored that any action to the contrary will warrant a strong national response.
The resolution called upon the government to ensure that the principles of an independent foreign policy must be grounded in strict adherence to the principles of policy, as stated in Article 40 of the Constitution, the UN Charter, observance of international law and respect for the free will and aspirations of sovereign states and their peoples.
It further called upon the government to re-visit and review its terms of engagement with the United States, with a view to ensuring that Pakistan's national interests are fully respected and accommodated in pursuit of policies for countering terrorism and achieving reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan.
It also expressed its deep distress on the campaign to malign Pakistan, launched by certain quarters in other countries without appreciating Pakistan's determined efforts and immense sacrifices in combating terror and the fact that more than 30,000 Pakistani innocent men, women and children and more than 5,000 security and armed forces personnel had lost their lives, that is more than any other single country, in the fight against terror and the blowback emanating from actions of the NATO/ISAF forces in Afghanistan.
The resolution affirmed the importance of international cooperation for eliminating international terrorism, which can only be carried forward on the basis of a true partnership approach, based on equality, mutual respect and mutual trust.
It also affirmed full confidence in the defence forces of Pakistan in safeguarding Pakistan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and in overcoming any challenge to security, with the full support of the people and Government of Pakistan.
The resolution further affirmed the resolution passed by the Joint Sitting of the Parliament on National Security held on October, 22, 2008, and detailed recommendations made by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security in April 2009.
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