PM on Osama episode

Perhaps, the only new element in the Prime Minister’s address at the National Assembly on Monday was the remark that Pakistan reserved the right to “retaliate with full force”, if the US staged another unilateral anti-terror raid in the country. The charge of ISI’s incompetence and complicity had been denied earlier also.Mr Gilani’s statement was somewhat reassuring to the nation completely distraught by the successful attempt of American helicopters to intrude into, and stay on, Pakistan’s territory for over 40 minutes and escape with the body of Osama bin Laden whom they claimed to have killed, without our armed forces coming into action to check the aggression. Mr Gilani did not, though, elaborate how he intended to retaliate, with the “high degree of professionalism and superb determination” that, he said, the US had brought to bear in executing its mission. He also did not specify what response his government was thinking of giving to the White House spokesman’s repeated assertions that the Pentagon would not hesitate to launch similar raids in case other high-value targets were found to be living in Pakistan. Merely stating that the raid involved moral and legal issues of sovereignty and that the UN Security Council resolution on anti-terror efforts clearly stated that such actions have to be consistent with international law and human rights, would not satisfy the Pakistani public. – Nation