US to succumb to global diplomatic pressure: Gilani

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday expressed the hope that United States would succumb to international diplomatic pressure being channelized by Pakistan against drone strikes to revisit its policy since it was undermining the anti-terror efforts, but shied away from commenting on the mandate of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief's recent visit to the US.
"Pakistan and Afghanistan are the focus of the world and there is a realization that Pakistan is part of the solution not the problem. Nobody can win Afghanistan war without Pakistan. Drone attacks are not in favour of both the countries," Gilani said while emphasising Pakistan's importance in war against terror.
"They (US) would have to end drone attacks," Gilani told National Assembly in response to an explanation sought by Leader of the Opposition, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan of PML-N. A few hours prior to speech of the Prime Minister and just a day after meeting between Shuja Pasha, Director General ISI and Leon Panetta, director of the CIA, in Washington, a US drone had fired missiles in the tribal region.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary lodged a protest with the US Ambassador against the drone attack. A statement issued by the Foreign Office said "Pakistan strongly condemns the drone attack at Angoor Adda today. We have repeatedly said that such attacks are counter-productive and only contribute to strengthen the hands of the terrorists. Drone attacks have become a core irritant in the counter-terror campaign. Pakistan has taken up the matter with the US at all levels," the statement added.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told the house that the government had been in the process of creating pressure on the US by convincing other countries of the world through diplomatic channels that drone attacks were counter-productive. Criticising drone attacks which Gilani said his government had inherited from the previous regime were diverting sympathies of people towards militants.
"Under a well-thought-out strategy we had separated the peace loving tribesmen from militants, but when drone attacks occur, militants and tribes unite again, which is difficult for us to sustain politically and (it) also create difficulties in the military operations," he said.
Terrorism and economy are the issues of prime concern for the government, Gilani said while noting both were interconnected. 'After every suicide attack there is flight of capital', he lamented adding, until and unless terrorism was controlled there would be no foreign investment in the country. In response to the suspicions over Raymond Davis issue, Gilani reminded the house that leadership of the country had agreed to accept court decision and termed hue and cry over the court decision as inexplicable.
"I am strong believer of rule of law and court had passed an order... if complainant of the FIR is not satisfied with the decision he can challenge it before the High Court," said the PM in a policy statement. "Let's not drag other agencies into it who were working within their ambit," he added.
Since Prime Minister Gilani was supposed to respond to the points raised by leader of the opposition, he started his speech by felicitating the National Assembly over admittance of Presidential reference in the Supreme Court by declaring it a great success. President Asif Ali Zardari had sent the reference under Article 186 of the Constitution asking the Supreme Court to revisit the case of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and give its opinion on the death sentence awarded to Bhutto.
Capitalising the opportunity, Gilani reaped huge round of applause from the treasury benches by recounting the achievements of the government that included restoration of 1973 Constitution with the passage of two unanimous Amendments (18th and 19th). He did acknowledge the fact that masses were facing tough time due to load shedding, price hike and other such issues but expressed helplessness saying, "we are elected members and would never like to lose popularity since we have to go to the people for votes." He said that global recession, increase in price of petroleum products in international markets and war against terror were the factors hurting the country's economy.
Earlier, Nisar Ali Khan hit hard at the government for its tight-lipped policy over recent spate of price hike, Raymond Davis issue, load shedding, CNG strike and ISI chief's visit to the USA. "It seems as if they (ISI) were the rulers," Nisar had said while reminding of a unanimous resolution of the house against drone attacks.