ISLAMABAD: Pakistan was trying to maintain a balance in its relationship with United States (US) and the government had made it clear that Pakistan can live without aid by US but would not compromise on national integrity. Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Khawaja Muhammad Asif expressed these views while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, which held on Wednesday at the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services. The minister also said that the government was trying to maintain a balance in its relationship with US would not compromise on national interest. The government had made it clear that Pakistan could live without aid by US. Asif also said Pakistan desired balance in its relations with the United States. Pakistan had made it clear on the civil and military leadership of the US that Pakistan could not require any aid. But the US should not blame Pakistan for its own failures in Afghanistan. Asif said that the recent visit of a senior US State Department official showed that Washington wanted to improve its bilateral relations with Islamabad. “Pakistan doesn’t desire to deteriorate its relations with the United States but it would neither want to compromise its national sovereignty. Pakistan’s sacrifices should be recognized,” the minister said, adding, “We are giving our land and air routes without any charge.” Asif said that US President Donald Trump is wrongly considering the Coalition Support Fund as aid. The committee held its meeting under the chairmanship of Senator Nuzhat Sadiq and was attended among others by Senators Farhatullah Babar, Ayesha Raza Farooq, Karim Ahmed Khawaja, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Daud Khan Achakzai, Haji Moin Khan Afridi, Minister for Foreign Affairs Khawaja Asif, Secretary Foreign Affairs and Secretary Cabinet Division. Khawaja Asif said that continuous jibes at Pakistan were all accusation to put responsibility of US’ failures in Afghanistan on Pakistan. “We have to stand up to those who accuse us of harbouring terrorists”, he remarked. The Chairperson Committee along with the members praised the hard and strong stance taken by the by the government of Pakistan in response to President Trump’s statements against Pakistan. The minister stressed that Pakistan had been repeatedly seeking assistance in repatriation of Afghan Refugees and to work on border management with Afghanistan. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed urged the Foreign Office to be more proactive in putting forth Pakistan’s narrative in the war against terrorism. Regarding a Fatwa issued against terrorism the Minister made it clear that the state was not bringing jihadi outfits into the national mainstream. Senator Farhatullah Babar questioned whether the anti-terrorism fatwa of religious scholars yesterday declaring un-Islamic private jihad as well as suicide bombings also covered the so called jihad across the national boundaries as has been proudly claimed by some militant outfits. The absence of the words “across the national borders” in the fatwa unequivocally rejecting private jihad created space for some jihadists and asked the Foreign Minister whether the FO was on board in the exercise leading to the formulation of fatwa. Replying the Foreign Minister said that his reading of the fatwa document was that it also banned private jihad across national boundaries. The Senator was entitled to hold his view but my view was different from that of the Senator, he said. Babar then said that some undeclared moves seemed afoot to mainstream militant organizations without taking the Parliament on board and asked whether the FO was aware of any such move. He said that the soft treatment meted out to Ehsanullah Ehsan former Taliban spokesperson, bail of Moulana Soofi Muhammad, shielding Moulana Masood Azhar from UN sanctions and lately the militant organizations entering into electoral politics pointed towards these undeclared moves. Khawaja Asif said that the Foreign Office was not aware of any move to mainstream militant organizations in the country. Senator Babar also asked whether a three-member delegation of Afghan Taliban from their Qatar political office had arrived in Pakistan recently as reported in the media as part of the efforts to encourage them join the reconciliation process. The Foreign Minister however said that the FO was not in the picture and was not aware if such visit indeed had taken place. The meeting also discussed the case of Haji Abdul Ghafoor a Pakistani national who went missing in Madina last year. The Secretary Foreign Affairs Tehmina Janjua informed the Committee that the federal Hajj minister would be visiting Saudi Arabia early next month and this issue would also be included in the agenda of his talks with Saudi authorities. The Committee recommended that the Saudi authorities be asked to focus on the testimony of two officials of Pakistan House Madinah of the altercation Haji Abdul Ghafoor had with police at the gate of Masjid Nabvi after which Haji Abdul Ghafoor reportedly went missing. Regarding the matter of filling-up of vacant Pakistani chairs in Foreign Universities, the Committee was given a detailed briefing on the process by Cabinet Division against 14 vacant seats in foreign universities in 11 different countries. The Committee complemented the prompt and impartial procedure developed and carried out by the both Foreign Office and Cabinet Division. Published in Daily Times, January 18th 2018.