PESHAWAR - Treasury and opposition benches will table a joint resolution in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly today (Tuesday) against the US drone attacks on Pakistani's soil, as the government has to take its similar resolution back on Monday after the opposition strongly opposed its wordings.
Drafted by treasury benches, the KPK Senior Minister Sirajul Haq presented a resolution against US drone strikes on FATA. It was, however, taken back when opposition parties with one voice rejected its working, saying the resolution was lifeless. Thus, the treasury benches have to take the resolution back and it was decided that a resolution jointly drafted by government and opposition benches would be tabled today (Tuesday).
The lawmakers from opposition parties including ANP, JUI-F, PML-N and PPP stood and protested strongly when the senior minister was tabling the resolution against the US drone attacks on the floor of the House, saying that firstly, words used in the resolution are poor and they must have strong words; and secondly, it is a national issue, so, traditionally opposition and treasury benches should bring a joint resolution on such matters.
The government accepted the demand of the opposition benches and it was decided to draft a joint government and opposition benches resolution on the US drone attacks, which would be presented today (Tuesday).
Earlier, the KPK Assembly met with Deputy Speaker Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi in the chair. The lawmakers condemned bomb blasts and killing of people in Peshawar, Quetta and Karachi and called upon the government to take practical steps and hold negotiation with militants, which is the only way to solve the problem.
The lawmakers in their separate speeches termed it joint issue, saying they should take collective efforts to rid the nation of the ongoing injustices instead of taking political benefits and accusing each others.
The House offered fateha for the departed soul and prayed for immediate recovery of the victims of the bomb blasts, asking the federal government to frame policy to overcome the problems. The emotionally charged members on treasury and opposition benches exchanged hot words during debate. The Pakistan People's Party (PPP)'s Nighat Orakzai later staged walkout to protest against what she termed un-parliamentary language of some of the ruling party members. She, however, ended her boycott on the pursuance of the Law Minister Israrullah Khan Gandapur.
Nighat Orakzai observed the federal and provincial governments have no coordination on this issue and it was astonishing that the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan was asking the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to frame national policy. She said the time has come to come up open against the militants.
The JUI-F Maulana Lutfur Rehman said they would have to find out the causes before talking about solution as without knowing the reasons for the ongoing terrorism, it would be difficult to solve the problem. He said they would have to think as to whether they had power and whether they could get the required results suggesting collective measures for the solution of problems.
Public Health Minister Shah Farman said his party had been suggesting solving the issue through negotiations. He said they would have to run the affairs within their constitutional limits, saying the federal government would have to frame policy on drone attacks and the provincial government would go a few steps ahead if the federal government takes any decision.
The Awami National Party (ANP) Parliamentary Leader Sardar Hussain Babak observed the terrorists have openly come out, killing and kidnapping people for ransom. He said majority of cases were not reported. He said his party had paid the price for resisting Taliban, suggesting the government it would have to take responsibility after forming its government in the province. He said the PTI had not promised to from national policy but committed to restoring peace and were accusing the ANP of the crisis. He said the rulers should play their role instead of waiting for the federal government's policy.
The JUI-F leader Mufti Janan demanded an end to the ongoing genocide of Pakhtuns, saying the injustices against Pakhtuns had pushed their nation at back foot. He said who would be holding negotiation with whom and whether they had any power to do so? He said the JUI-F had organised grand jirga but the process was sabotaged to foil the effort. Senior Minister Sikandar Sherpao said the ongoing fire could engulf Islamabad if it was not extinguish now. He said their province was passing through difficult time but it was not proper time for point scoring. Later the Deputy Speaker adjourned the session till 4:00pm today (Tuesday).