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Parliament adopts resolution on Iraq

New Delhi, April 9
As Saddam Hussein’s regime appeared crumbling on the streets of Baghdad, Parliament today adopted a unanimous resolution deploring the US-led war on Iraq.

Like in the Lok Sabha yesterday, as the Upper House passed the resolution, the government asserted that Pakistan was a “fitter case” for a pre-emptive strike if possession of weapons of mass destruction, export of terrorism and absence of democracy were the criteria. India also firmly rejected any third party intervention to resolve Indo-Pak issues.

External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha was replying to clarifications from members in the Rajya Sabha, including K. Natwar Singh (Congress) who slammed the government for what he called its “inconsistent” foreign policy and said the minister’s remarks on pre-emptive strike on Pakistan to the media amounted to justifying the unilateral attack on Iraq.

“We know from experience, we know on the basis of evidence, that Pakistan does not fall in the same category as Iraq. It is in a much worse category. And therefore, it was in that context, that this reply was given by me that if these are the criteria, then Pakistan is a fitter case,” Mr Sinha said. PTI