Pak-US talks after parliament's final recommendations: Grossman

BRUSSELS: US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman has said that Washington and Islamabad will resume talks after the parliamentary committee's recommendations take its final course about how to go forward,

Talking to 'Geo News' here, Grossman said the US respected the work of Pakistani parliament and the time it is consuming to decide about how to go forward.

It may be noted here that Senator Mian Raza Rabbani had presented before the Joint Session the Parliament the report of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) for new terms of engagements with the United States and Nato.

The panel recommended that "Pakistan should seek an unconditional apology from the US for the unprovoked incident" and said "taxes and other charges must be levied on all goods importing in or transiting through Pakistan".

The committee also called for cessation of drone attacks inside the territorial borders of Pakistan and reiterated the country's commitment to the elimination of terrorism and combating extremism.

The parliamentarians will hold threadbare discussion on the recommendations to make the foreign policy more vibrant and in accordance with the aspirations of the people.

The committee has prepared a series recommendations to ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.

Enumerating the salient features of the report on national security, Raza Rabbani said that the committee in its recommendations has asserted that the country's sovereignty shall not be compromised at any cost and the relationship with the US should be based on mutual respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of each others.

It said that no overt or covert operations inside Pakistan shall be tolerated.

Raza Rabbani said the report emphasizes that Pakistan's nuclear program and assets including its safety and security cannot be compromised. The US-Indo civil nuclear agreement has significantly altered the strategic balance in the region, therefore, Pakistan should seek from the US and others a similar treatment.

The report reaffirms Pakistan's commitment to the elimination of terrorism and combating extremism in pursuance of its national interest.