Pakistani Parliament To Debate The Question of Sending Troops To Gaza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani government would like the parliament to debate the possible decision to send troops to Gaza for participation in International Stabilization Force, which has been proposed as part of President Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan, Government officials told NAM news that the government intends to take the issue of sending troops to Gaza into the parliament for debate, “we want to ensure that the political forces in the country are taken into confidence and they debate this issue threadbare before the government take the decision to send or not to send the troops to Gaza” said the official.

Pakistani military has a tradition of briefing Pakistani parliament and political forces before any major decision of engaging Pakistani troops in any national or international mission. Pakistani military leaders have repeatedly briefed political forces and parliament on issues like sending troops into tribal areas for military operations against TTP militants several times during the first two decades of this century On October 1st, 2008, Pakistani leaders briefed a Joint Session of the parliament on military operations in tribal areas.

A marathon in-camera briefing to Parliament resulted in a unanimous resolution to combat terrorism through ]a “national consensus” and a focus on dialogue alongside force. On May 2nd, 2009 APC (Operation Rah-e-Rast): Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani convened an All Parties Conference that gave the military a clear mandate to launch the full-scale operation in Swat after the failure of the Nizam-e-Adl peace deal. On September 3rd, 2011 APC was Held following the Abbottabad raid and rising U.S.-Pakistan tensions, this conference reaffirmed the need for “national sovereignty” and a political resolution to domestic militancy.

On September 4, 2013 APC: Near the end of Kayani’s tenure, this APC (under the new PML-N government) sought a final consensus on whether to pursue peace talks or a final operation in North Waziristan. In total, approximately four major national-level All Parties Conferences or Joint Parliamentary Sessions specifically focused on military operations and counter-terrorism strategy were held during Kayani’s six-year term to provide the necessary “political umbrella” for the armed forces. The Pakistani government wants to ensure that a national consensus could be developed on the issue of sending troops to Gaza for participation in International Stabilization Force.

The US administration has formally asked to join the ISF for peacekeeping in Gaza–a region of Palestine that has been devastated by Israeli military onslaught during the past two years. It has been reported in the media that Pakistan was considering sending 3500 Pakistani troops to Gaza.

However, the Pakistani foreign office has announced that no decision in this regards has been taken so far. Strong voices in the media and political circles have started criticizing the pro-American tilt of Shehbaz Sharif government. Some of the media persons and political figures have started expressing doubts about the wisdom of sending troops to Gaza as, in their opinion, it would only serve the interests of Jewish state of Israel. It is generally expected that Pakistani government would face a tough resistance from opposition political parties on this controversial question.