Pakistan's president vows to defend sovereignty
The Pakistani president delivered his first speech to the country's parliament today
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Saturday, 20, Sep 2008 11:44
Pakistan's new president Asif Ali Zardari has said the country will not accept violations of its sovereignty.
In his first speech to MPs, the widower of former prime minster Benazir Bhutto, also vowed to continue the fight against terrorism.
American newspapers widely reported that US president George Bush had authorised unilateral strikes against militants in the country without informing the Pakistani government.
In the past two weeks, tensions between Pakistan and America have risen as the US conducted air strikes in its ally's territory and even sent ground troops into the country's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan – a move which resulted in Pakistani troops firing shots into the air.
Mr Zardari's speech backs up a previous statement made by the country's army chief, General Ashraf Kayani, in which he warned that the south Asian country's territory would defended its territory.
Without mentioning the US, Mr Zardari said: "We will not tolerate the violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity by any power in the name of combating terrorism.
"I ask of the government that it should be firm in its resolve to not allow the use of its soil for carrying out terrorist activities against any foreign country," he added.
In separate developments, six people died when a suicide bomber attacked an army convoy in North Waziristan, near the country's border with Afghanistan. The attack came before the head of state's speech.
Pakistan backed the US invasion of Afghanistan but its cooperation in the war on terror has been questioned with US officials saying that Taliban safe havens have been established in Pakistan's tribal areas.