Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday invited PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif and other parliamentary leaders to offer their input on Pakistan's foreign policy.
Qureshi, speaking after Bilawal's address to the house, responded to the PPP leader's offer for help, saying:"I would like to thank PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif for showing solidarity with the people Pakistan in this state of alertness.
"Bilawal offered that in these testing times, he is willing to take a bipartisan approach on foreign policy. I take this offer and I invite Bilawal and Shahbaz Sharif and the leader of the MMA to the foreign office. We are willing to seek their input on foreign policy, because this is a time when the nation stands together; to send a message to the East that Pakistan is united to defend itself."
Qureshi also officially identified Wing Commander Nauman Ali Khan as the Pakistan Air Force pilot who shot down the second Indian airplane in the dogfight last week.
The foreign minister made the revelation after Bilawal, during his speech, had paid tribute to Squadron Leader Hassan Siddiqui for downing Indian Air Force (IAF) Wg Cdr Abhinandan's MiG-21 aircraft on Feb 27.
"One clarification: Bilawal paid tribute to Hassan Siddiqui as he's absolutely a national hero," Qureshi said. "But I would like to clarify that two Indian planes were shot down. The other one was shot down by Wg Cdr Nauman Ali Khan," he added, asking that the second pilot also be given due credit.
Qureshi, responding to Bilawal's claim that Prime Minister Imran Khan had taken a risk by prematurely releasing the Indian pilot, said: "This was discussed and we did it in Pakistan's interest. We thought by doing that we would be [sending] a message of de-escalation and that message went loud and clear, and was appreciated all over the world."
Bilawal, in his address, had seconded his father and fellow PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari's stance that the foreign minister should not have boycotted the Council of Foreign Ministers at the OIC summit.
Qureshi, as he had done last week, defended his decision.
"This was an important decision and we weighed the pros and cons of not doing so. There was a divided opinion in the house. Many experts, as Mr Zardari aptly put, thought that Pakistan should engage. Another view was also from a major opposition party. Khawaja Asif very articulately said that Pakistan should protest and boycott the session."
Qureshi told the house that PML-N's Khurram Dastagir Khan, who was negotiating with the government on behalf of the government, had in fact wanted the parliament's joint resolution to mention that Pakistan was "completely boycotting" the OIC summit instead of just skipping the inaugural session.
Dastagir, who was in the parliament at the time, nodded in agreement with Qureshi's assertion.
"The resolution was then signed and passed unanimously [by the parliament]," said Qureshi.
"Then, when a joint session had spoken and commanded the foreign minister of Pakistan to boycott the CFM, what was I supposed to do?" he asked.
"We respected the sanctity of parliament and 'bowed our head in deference to its wishes,' as Mr Zardari put it," he concluded.
'Nation united against foreign aggression'
Bilawal earlier thanked the Speaker for allowing opposition parties to speak on the budget.
"It would have been an unprecedented move were there not to be a debate on the budget. And while we thank you for that I must reiterate, on the floor of the House, that it would be most appropriate if there was a complete and proper debate on the finance bill."
He then paid tribute to the "brave soldiers who sacrifice so much to keep us safe".
He made special mention of the Pakistan Air Force, "which has one again proven that it is indeed the best air force in the world".
"I would like to make special mention of PAF pilot Hasan Siddiqui, who shot down the Indian aircraft that had violated our sovereign territory. And the two courageous soldiers Shaheed Abdul Rab and Shaheed Khurram, who sacrificed their lives on the Line of Control (LoC)."