Thaindian News

Islamabad, Dec 21 (IANS) Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar Wednesday informed the National Assembly that the parliament will soon open a debate on a detailed review of the country’s foreign policy and to re-evaluate future relationship with the US and NATO.

A NATO strike last month on two border posts left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead, prompting a review of future engagements with the US and NATO.

The attack sparked angry reactions in Pakistan. The government closed the supply line for NATO forces in Afghanistan, vacated a strategically important airbase in Balochistan province from the US military personnel and boycotted the Dec 5 Bonn Conference on Afghanistan.

A two-day conference of Pakistani envoys was called this month to make recommendations for the future relationship with the US and NATO.

Khar told the National Assembly or Lower House of the parliament that recommendations of the envoys’ conference after the NATO attack in Mohmand Agency would be presented before the parliament for further discussion, Xinhua reports.

In a written reply, the foreign minister said the conference deliberated on “different aspects” of the foreign policy focusing to reassess the relationship with the US and NATO.

She said the conference also aimed at charting out new avenues of the emerging challenges on the international scene.

The foreign minister said in the wake of the NATO attack, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani directed a reassessment of the foreign policy and accordingly an envoys’ conference was convened to deliberate upon the issue.

She said the meet reaffirmed Pakistan’s external relations continue to be based on the principles of respect for independence and territorial integrity in accordance with the international law enshrined in the UN Charter.