ISLAMABAD, March 9: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence on Friday threatened that Pakistan could end cooperation with the US in the war on terrorism if the US Congress passed any law or resolution imposing sanctions on Pakistan, sources told Dawn.

The committee, which met under its chairman Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at the Parliament House here, took serious notice of reports that three Democrats senators had submitted a resolution in the Congress threatening to withhold the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan and linking military assistance to Islamabad to efforts being made by the country in cracking down the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

The committee members, both from treasury and the opposition benches, also agreed that the issue of Pakistan’s support to the US in the war on terrorism must be discussed at a joint sitting of parliament.

Opposition members who attended the meeting told Dawn that the committee had passed a unanimous resolution condemning the US move to put restrictions on Pakistan.

However, the official handout issued after the meeting had no mention of the resolution. It only says: “The Standing Committee on Defence in its meeting unanimously noted the fact that Pakistan’s contribution to the war on terror is far higher than any other country. Current legislation under discussion in the American Congress/Senate to put unwarranted restrictions on Pakistan is uncalled for and amounts to downgrading our contribution. The resolution/law if passed by the US Congress, whether binding or otherwise, calls for a reciprocal action from Pakistan, including complete or partial non-cooperation in the war against terror.”

The sources said the opposition members criticised the country’s foreign policy and called for holding a debate on the issue in parliament. They demanded that such resolutions should also be passed in the National Assembly and the Senate.

The opposition members alleged that President Gen Pervez Musharraf had surrendered everything to the US and even foreign troops were carrying out operations in the tribal area. They regretted that despite the all-out support by the Musharraf regime, which was acknowledged by US Ambassador in Islamabad Ryan C. Crocker in his recent statement, Washington was issuing threatening statements against Pakistan which proved failure of the government’s foreign policy.

The opposition members, the sources said, also asked the committee chairman to summon Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri and ask him to explain the position.

Ministry of Defence secretary Tariq Wasim briefed the committee on the recently-proposed Pakistan-specific US legislation and its impact on Pakistan’s defence capabilities and needs.

PIA ISSUE: The committee members grilled Pakistan International Airlines chairman Tariq Kirmani on the airline affairs, particularly on the issue of ban on PIA aircraft imposed by the European Union.

Mr Kirmani told the committee that the PIA’s engineering and maintenance department had a valid official certification of the European Aviation Safety Association, which had been revalidated for the second time only a few months ago. He said the possibility of an economic aspect behind the action could not be ruled out for which the airline was being victimised. Therefore, he said, the EU ban was “unjust, unfair, discriminatory and highly unacceptable on all counts.”