ISLAMABAD - Assuring the Hazara community of taking strict action against terrorists and miscreants, Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Monday stressed the need for collective action and wisdom to eliminate terrorism.
“Collective wisdom and action is needed to deal with the challenges which the country is currently facing,” said the prime minister on the floor of the National Assembly, discussing the law and order situation with particular reference to the recent incident of Quetta.
“It is not time for political divide. It is not time to discriminate between the government and the Opposition. We only need collective wisdom and action for nation’s deliverance from challenges it is faced with,” the prime minister said.
Strongly condemning the Quetta incident, the prime minister said the government would take all out measures to bring the perpetrators to task without making any compromise in this regard.
The PM, condemning the sad incident, remarked that all possible steps would be taken without making any compromise on this matter. “It is time to strengthen each other against the militancy as a strong collective message would ultimately weaken the anti-state forces,” he said, adding the incumbent government would meet all demands of the Hazara community.
He also told the House that he had directed the Balochistan governor to investigate the incident. “In case of negligence action would be taken,” he said and added this carnage had badly affected all the provinces and every section of the society, including mosques, schools, politicians, farmers, etc.
On the previous incident in Quetta, the PM said he had imposed the governor’s rule in Balochistan and enhanced deployment of FC besides putting paramilitary troops on alert. He further said all demands of Hazara community, including deployment of security force of their choice, would be fulfilled.
Recalling the Swat operation, he said the government had lost writ there but only due to the national unity, the government not only re-established the writ but also resettled thousands of the displaced persons successfully.
He said the Hazara Community members were brave and tolerant and assured that their killers would not be spared and would be brought to justice at any cost.
He also prayed for the forgiveness of the deceased souls and courage for the bereaved families to bear the loss with equanimity.
Meanwhile, a six-member parliamentary team, constituted by Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, will assess the situation arising from Saturday’s terrorist attack in Quetta today (Tuesday).
The parliamentary committee will draw Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Mir Khizar Khan Bijrani, Maula Buksh Chandio, Public Accounts Committee Chairman Nadeem Afzal Gondal, Senator Sughra Imam and Yasmin Rehman as its members.
The team will visit the affected families as well as representatives of security and intelligence agencies, besides meeting with the provincial administration. It will report its assessment and recommendations to Raja Ashraf.
Also, the prime minister has called a comprehensive report from the intelligence agencies on how terrorists detonated an explosives-laden truck on Karani Road. Ashraf has reiterated the resolve that his government will take every possible measure to track down and penalise those behind this heinous terrorist attack.
The premier has spoken to Balochistan governor Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi and Chief Secretary Baber Fateh Yaqoob and made it clear to all the stakeholders that no stone would be left unturned to arrest the culprits and bring them to justice.