US can use Pak airspace: Defence Secretary

Defence Secretary Kamran Rasool has said that allied forces have been allowed to use Pakistan's airspace, reports a private TV channel. Kamran Rasool said allied forces did seek permission to hit specific targets in tribal areas several times. He said war on terror could not be won without US cooperation.

He cautioned that Pakistan could face severe economic crisis, adding that sanctions would aggravate the problems.

Online adds: Kamran disclosed that International Security Assistant Force (Isaf) planes were hovering over Pakistani airspace with the consent of the government for our protection. He, however, added that we have rejected the demand of the coalition forces of hot pursuit inside Pakistani territory for getting their targets.

He expressed these views in Senate Standing Committee for Defence meeting held here on Tuesday. The meeting was presided over by Chairman Nisar A Memon. He informed the meeting that Nato forces were using Pakistani airspace for supervision and protection of Pakistani airspace and this is being done with the consent of the government.

Kamran was of the view that Nato forces have never violated Pakistani borders, adding that no compromise will be made in this regard.

He said that border violations of any kind would not be tolerated and we have made this thing crystal-clear to them. However, on the other hand, the government believes that without US aid, Pakistan cannot defeat the menace of terrorism. It was told in the meeting that Pakistan is passing through critical stage and our economy is going downhill thus bankruptcy looks obvious on the cards due to worsening external liquidity.

The committee demanded of President Zardari to refrain from negative statements especially against people of Kashmir maintaining that Kashmiris are fighting war for self-determination and such remarks can absolutely dismantle them.

Parliament must be the supreme authority and it must be independent to decide, members of the committee pointed. Chairman of the Committee Nisar A Memon made one thing clear that use of force is no solution to tribal areas, urging the need for peaceful dialogue process with tribal elders to solve thorny issues. Intelligence agencies must expand their network of intelligence in the supreme interests of the country, Memon held.

On the occasion, while giving briefing to the Committee, former head of Institute of Strategic Studies Shireen Mazari stressed the need to wipe off the menace of terrorism.

The first most important thing to be done is to halt US attacks in tribal areas as things are getting out of hand thus very complicated, she maintained.

Pakistan is under a cover of war, saying that time is not far away when United Nations will take our nuclear assets in its own hands, she predicted.

People who think that US is our ally they are living in fools world, she said saying that the US is our biggest enemy and is using us for its own objectives. Senator Kamil Agha criticised the remarks of President Asif Ali Zardari in which he described resistant fighters operating in Kashmir as terrorists. They are not terrorists but freedom fighters, he assured.

The government faces huge tasks ahead, the committee was told.

Senator Professor Khursheed, Dilawar Abbas, Naeem Hussain Chatta, Kamil Ali Agha and Kamran Murtaza and others attened the meeting.

Our Monitoring Desk adds: Senate Standing Committee on Defence has asked the government to review its policy towards US, reported a private TV channel.

Briefing the newsmen after committee's meeting in Islamabad at Parliament House Tuesday, Nisar Memon said the committee was of the view that the national policy towards cooperation with US over war on terror should be reviewed.