ISLAMABAD, Dec 24: Rivals put political differences aside for a while in the National Assembly on Wednesday and unanimously passed a resolution declaring that the Pakistani nation was united and “stands ready to defend its honour and dignity” in the face of perceived Indian challenges over last month’s terror attacks in Mumbai.

The resolution, which came after several days of a staggered debate over national security before the house was prorogued after a 10-day session, supported the government’s efforts to defuse tension with India over New Delhi’s allegations of Pakistani links with the Nov 26 attacks and said the nation and its armed forces “shall together defend Pakistan’s security at all costs”.

While condemning what it called India’s “war hype” and “unsubstantiated allegations levelled in haste against Pakistan”, the document urged the international community to ensure that “India also dismantles its terror networks”.

The text of the resolution, which also condemned the devastating attacks and reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to pursue “constructive engagement with India,” seemed milder than a lot of rhetoric that dominated the debate, which was wound up by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Babar Awan, who visualised horrific consequences of another war between the two now nuclear-armed rivals and said in a display of Urdu oratory: “Rose petals cannot rain in a war between two nuclear countries.”

Rejecting allegations of weaknesses on the part of the government in dealing with the situation arising from the Mumbai carnage as well as fears about the country being declared a failed or rogue state, he said: “We will not step back from where we stand today.”

“People (in the country) can have complaints about one another but the Pakistani nation has no complaint on the question of Pakistan,” he said, adding that “those seeking to divide the country or frighten us with (threats of) surgical strikes or airspace violations should remove their misunderstanding”.

Stressing that Pakistan did not mean to threaten India, he said: “We are not asleep. We don’t want to threaten anyone. But we neighbours should not demolish the wall of peace (between us because) if streams of blood will flow on this side, they will flow on the other side as well, and if streams of honey will flow on this side they will flow on that side also.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was absent from the debate on its last day without any explanation after reports of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh toning down the rhetoric from his side on Tuesday only a day after his Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherji came close to creating a scare by declaring that India might act on its own if the world failed to make Pakistan to arrest alleged terrorists named by his government.

The resolution was moved by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Malik Abad Khan who read out the 14-para text without making a speech.

After what it called considering “the developments ensuing from the recent Mumbai attacks, including implications for national security, being desirous of defusing tensions in South Asia, and reaffirming “Pakistan’s strong commitment to peace, security and stability of South Asia and eliminating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations in the region as a whole, the National Assembly said in the resolution that it:

“Condemns on behalf of the people of Pakistan the terrorist attacks in Mumbai and extends sympathy to the families of the victims and the people of India.

“Further condemns the war hype in a situation where war is not an option given the nuclear capabilities of both countries. “Supports the efforts of the government of Pakistan to defuse tension and particularly its offer to cooperate with India and jointly investigate the incident.

“Condemns unsubstantiated allegations levelled in haste against Pakistan.

“Calls upon India to respond to the constructive proposals made by the government of Pakistan, namely joint investigations and high-level engagement with a view to addressing concerns relating to the Mumbai incident and to defuse tensions in South Asia. “Calls upon the international community to ensure that India also dismantles its terror networks affecting peace in the region and stop regional destabilisation moves. “Urges India to exercise restraint from such activities which undermine Pakistan’s sovereignty and to stop the hostile propaganda which seeks to cover their intelligence failure and promotes such activities which do not serve the cause of peace in the region.

“Resolves that Pakistani nation is united and stands ready to defend its honour and dignity as well as Pakistan’s sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity.

“Reaffirms its resolve that the nation and the armed forces of Pakistan shall together defend Pakistan’s security interests at all costs.

“Reiterates the importance of respect for the principles of non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of states, which is an essential prerequisite for ensuring peace, stability and progress of South Asia.

“Reaffirms Pakistan’s desire to pursue its constructive engagement with India in a comprehensive manner to build confidence and mutual trust; amicably resolve all outstanding disputes, particularly Kashmir; and establish friendly and good-neighbourly relations with India on the basis of equality and mutual trust.”