ISLAMABAD: Former Senate chairman and senior PPP leader Senator Raza Rabbani said on Monday that the people of Pakistan have a right to know if the country’s strategic relationship with China or its nuclear assets were under strain.
“[The] people of Pakistan have a right to know if our strategic relationship with China or our strategic nuclear assets are under threat or pressure .. or if we are being called up to play role in the region which will facilitate the military presence of an imperialist power,” he said.
The statement comes amid questions being raised in media that due to the pressure on the country’s dwindling forex reserves, the IMF, other international financial institutions and the US were pressurising the government to make some commitments on the country’s nukes and its strategic partnership with China.
“These and other questions require a policy statement by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the floor of a joint sitting in the parliament,” he added.
While talking about the desperately-needed deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the senator furthered that the parliament needs to be taken into confidence on the issue as well as the matter of reluctance of friendly countries, except China, to help Pakistan sans the global lender.
“The dragging of the feet by the IMF on signing the agreement and reluctance of friendly countries, except China, to help sans the IMF, Parliament needs to be taken into confidence.”
“It appears Pakistan is being softened up to play a role which is against its national and strategic interests,” he added.
The senator further pointed out that the government has failed to discuss the issues pertaining to Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the increase in terrorism.
“It seems be it the PTI or present governments want azadi [freedom] from Parliament and the Constitution, 1973,” the senator concluded.
