Islamabad, September 29, 2021: Talking specifically about a bill that has originated in the US Senate about penalising and sanctioning countries both in Asia and specifically talked about Pakistan, Parliamentary leader of the Pakistan People’s Party in Senate and Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Sherry Rehman raised the challenge of multiple risks arising for Pakistan in a long speech on the actual bill, what it could mean for the region, how policy is made, and why Pakistan is looking divided on its foreign policy.
Highlighting the new Afghanistan Counterterrorism, Oversight, and Accountability bill moved in the American senate by 22 Republican senators, she said, “Pakistan is facing a moment of serious peril. The United States has left Afghanistan with a deal it made directly with the Taliban and is now pressing Pakistan to take responsibility for all that is happening in Afghanistan. What is happening to Pakistan is actually worse than what has happened before. This bill directly targets Pakistan and will have serious implications for us, if it gathers momentum. It is not the US Administrations policy bill but it is important because it could gather critical mass and also points to a rise in toxic sentiments about Pakistan on the Hill, which many of us have worked very hard to reverse”.
“Smart policy is about anticipating challenges and tackling them with unity and rational response. At least let’s begin to address the threats. Section 202 of the bill directly mentions Pakistan and calls for an “assessment of support by state and non-state actors, including the government of Pakistan, for the Taliban between 2001 and 2020.” They are clearly saying that the government of Pakistan has supported the Taliban but it’s disappointing to see that no one has actually put it to parliament for shaping collective responses nor dispelled disinformation that is damaging and painful,” she added.
Rehman said, “While it is important to engage with all countries with self respect, particularly angry superpowers like the US which itself is in turmoil over its 20 years occupation of Afghanistan, what are we doing to empower our own selves? Instead of trying to unite the parliament around a bipartisan foreign policy, the parliament has never met on the Afghan transition, the humanitarian crisis there, and the response. All over the world joint meetings are being held on Afghanistan but Pakistan’s government is in a state of denial over dealing with parliament. The first step in foreign policy is national unity, which is missing here. The PTI government is ignoring the constitution and parliament, and is busy in their narrative war”.
“If we even try to help Pakistan, we are told our leaders are corrupt. How is that helping Pakistan? Our President Zardari also wrote op Eds in the Washington Post. He defended the whole of Pakistan, not just his party. Read the op Eds and see how parliament was conducted to unite in moments of danger. You need to pay attention to what’s going on in the Pakistan senate, not just the US senate. The PM of this country needs to respect the sanctity of Parliament and come here and discuss the situation instead of playing the blame game and disrupting unity. Is this how you defend the country?” she questioned.
Discussing PPP’s diplomacy, Rehman said, “The PPP government had given a strong response to the United States through parliament. We never called joint sessions to bulldoze bills but instead to build consensus and involve key stakeholders. The policy of Afghan owned and Afghan led Government in Afghanistan originated with us. In our government, diplomacy was institutional not episodic, nor was it a hash-tag war. Responses were made in real time by all institutional players speaking with one voice, not a series of angry tweets on social media”.
“We were able to withstand pressure not just by empty words but by saying we speak with one voice. That is the most powerful message that can emanate from Pakistan, but unfortunately immaturity in certain government circles is blocking even a robust, rational defence of the country and the price we paid and could pay again. We closed Shamsi Air base but were able to withstand pressure because we were stronger, both economically, diplomatically, and politically,” she added.
She said, “We are friends of Afghanistan, not spokesmen for any particular group. We should not make decisions that hurt the country. The PM mentions sacrifice. Yes, that is correct, but why make fun of that sacrifice by saying we will give amnesty to outfits like TTP that have martyred not just our twice elected PM Benazir Bhutto but also the children of Army Public School and many of our brave soldiers”.
“A serious, deliberative and informed approach is required from the government and this is why we need to have a discussion on the state of Pakistan’s foreign policy after the transition in Afghanistan, particularly in relation to the United States, the growing strategic competition with China in the Indo-Pacific and its impacts on Pakistan,” concluded Vice President PPP, Senator Sherry Rehman.
