ISLAMABAD - The lawmakers in the Senate Tuesday severely criticising the poor response of the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to tackle the district courts terror attack said that the government’s recent negotiations with the Taliban was tantamount to surrendering the state before terrorists.
Criticism on the government also came from treasury members along with a number of lawmakers from the opposition side before the entire opposition except MQM staged a walkout from the House over the absence of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to wind up the debate on the firing and suicide attack in the capital.
AS the State Minister for Interior Baleegur Rehman started his speech to conclude the two-day discussion on the terrorism incident, the opposition benches raised slogans ‘no, no’ and thumped desks; before staging a protest walkout. The opposition demanded that they would not hear the state minister what they said that the federal minister should end the boycott of the House and brief them on the issue that killed 11 people. During the walkout, PPP lawmakers pointed out quorum and the House was adjourned till Thursday due to lack of quorum.
Senate Chairman Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari also expressed his displeasure for the second consecutive day over the government’s failure to present the draft of National Internal Security Policy (NISP) in the Senate. He asked the government to immediately place it before the House.
Earlier, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan taking part in the debate said Monday’s media coverage showed that armed forces and civilian government were not on the same page regarding the ceasefire because the internal thinking of the forces was against the break in fighting. He said that the opposition supported peace talks despite the fact that they had no hope of their success. He criticised that the interior minister neither came in the House for a briefing nor visited PIMS (Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences) to inquire after the injured and even visited the district courts in the darkness of night.
He said the Prime Minister and Interior Minister had become absconders from the House that was objected by a treasury benches lawmaker. He said that interior ministry and government had failed to tackle terrorism and demanded that interior minister himself should come and brief the House.
Babar Ghauri from MQM taking part in the discussion said that the on-going peace dialogue with the Taliban was a surrender and asked the government to make public the name of the group that was involved in the gruesome incident of terrorism in Islamabad.
Hasil Khan Bazenjo of National Party said that the state would have to go to zero tolerance for the gun. “If gun will not be only in the hands of government, the definition of the state changes,” he said. He condemned the government’s policy to hold peace talks and said, “They were slaughtering people and we are talking about peace.”
He opined that they should forget that consensus could ever be developed on a military operation, as religious parties would never accept it. “We will have to draw a line,” he said warning that if failed in providing peace to the people, the state will not be able to maintain this existing shape.
Abdul Nabi Bangash pointed out that SSP Islamabad’s body language was not professional who reached the crime scene after one and half hour late. He said that the interior minister was giving the ‘sugar quoted poison’ to the masses and said that the incumbent government had completely surrendered before the militants. He showed surprise that Taliban were being asked by the government to probe the matter of district courts incident. Rafique Rajowana, a treasury member from PML-N, said Taliban’s claim could not be believed as truth that they were not involved in the district courts incident.
He also appealed to the media not to give extra projection to Taliban. He said that the nation must show unity, as every one had become a soft target of terrorists.
Mukhtiar Ahmed Damrah remarked no official was shown the door after the district courts incident and the interior minister should end the boycott of the House what he said ‘self exile’ from Senate. Mohsin Leghari said that police and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) had been politicised. Kamal Ali Agha of PML-Q said that the government had admitted the writ of the Taliban and deplored that banned outfit was being asked to probe the incident before staging a walkout from the House what he said that the chair was not giving him enough time to speak. The combined opposition also staged a token walkout to show solidarity with the lawmaker.
Mian Raza Rabbani said that writ of the government should not become weak and talks should be held within the ambit of Constitution. M Hamza said that government’s negotiations with Taliban were reflective of its weakness and ceasefire was an excuse. All agencies and forces should take a collective action, he added.
Chairman Standing Committee on Law and Justice presented report of the Committee to amend the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 [The National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2010]. Later, Leader of the House presented a motion to declare the bill infructuous that was approved.
Senator Kalsoom Perveen presented report of the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat and Capital Administration and Development on the Civil Servant (Amendment) Bill, 2013 to amend the Civil Servants Act, 1973.