Opening GLOCs in national interest

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said Thursday that the decision to open ground lines of communications (GLOCs) for passage of Nato supplies through Pakistani territory was taken in the best national interest in light of the recommendations made by the Parliament.The prime minister expressed these views while talking to Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi who called on him at the PM House. Both PML-Q leaders supported government's decision to open Nato supplies saying no country could afford international diplomatic isolation. Prime minister said peace and stability in Afghanistan was closely linked to peace and stability in Pakistan. Pakistan was partner of the international community and playing its leading role against forces of terrorism as a frontline state. Raja said prolonged deadlock over the issue of Nato supplies could have hurt the country's relations with the Nato countries, which included friendly countries as well as brotherly Muslim states such as Turkey, Qatar and the UAE. The prime minister referred to passage of legislation from the European Parliament, which would enhance market access for the Pakistani exports from 2014 onwards under the Generalised System of Preference (Plus), which, he said, would not have been possible without the active support of some of the EU countries who were part of Nato. He said it was for the first time in the country's history that a bipartisan parliamentary consensus was evolved on the broad contours of the foreign policy. He said Pakistan made it clear that its red-lines should be respected and added in the same context that the new terms of engagement as approved by the Parliament were visibly heeded by the US and Nato countries.During the meeting, PML(Q) President Ch Shujaat said the diplomatic impasse over the issue could have created problems for Pakistan at the UN.He said foreign policy decisions needed to be taken in a dispassionate and cool-headed manner, as stakes were too high to be left at the mercy of emotions and irrational behaviour.

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