ISLMABAD - The opposition on Wednesday in the Senate rejected the statement of Prime Minister Imran Khan that there will no longer be any need for nuclear deterrents once Kashmir issue is resolved.

It said that Pakistan’s nuclear programme could not be abandoned as “it was to contain Indian hegemony” in the region followed by a war of words between opposition and the treasury over the issue.

The opposition lashed out at the remarks of PM about nuclear deterrence and Kashmir he has recently given in an interview with HBO before the house unanimously passed the resolution condemning the Indian government’s action to call an All Parties Conference (APC) to take up the post August 5 scenario in Indian Occupied Kashmir.

“The Senate of Pakistan takes strong notice of the fact that the fascist Indian Government led by Narendra Modi has called an All Parties Conference of leaders hailing from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on 24th June (Thursday) to take up the post 5th August, 2019 scenario” in the valley, reads the resolution moved by PTI Senator Dr Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur.

The house through the resolution reiterated its strongest condemnation of India’s grossly illegal actions against the oppressed people of IIOJK since August 5 and called for reversal of these actions by ending the annexation. It also called for immediate release of all political prisoners there.

As the government moved the Pakistan Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the house for voting, former chairman Senate and PPP stalwart Mian Raza Rabbani opposed the law that delegated powers of the cabinet to any “authorized officer” of the federal government to issue prohibited (PB) and non-prohibited bore (NPB) arms licences.  

“I don’t understand duality of standards; on one side, you are opening up PB arms licences for everybody… on the other hand, Prime Minister Imran Khan in a recent interview has said that Pakistan will do away with its nuclear weapons once Kashmir issue is solved,” he said.

Senator Rabbani said that Pakistan’s nuclear programme is not linked with the Kashmir issue. “Pakistan’s nuclear programme is linked to Indian hegemony and as long as its hegemony will remain in the region and US will try to make India a policeman of the region, there will be need of nuclear deterrence in the region.”  He said that country’s nuclear programme cannot be rolled back and this was the resolve of the people of Pakistan.

At the same time, the opposition lawmaker opposing the bill said that delegation of powers of cabinet to any authorized officer to issue prohibited arms (PB) licences did not deem fit in the present internal security situation of the country. He said that there were growing incidents of terrorism throughout the country, especially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and there was internal secretion polarization, besides growing trends of intolerance in the society. He said that a blast in Lahore was another recent unfortunate incident.

“I am unable to understand why citizens should be allowed to bear arms,” he said adding that the debate on carrying arms was very long and old. He said that 1965 Act didn’t impose restrictions to issue arms licences as in other countries, there are various categories like that of convicted people or mentally deranged people who are not issued arms licences.

Rabbani said that basic purpose of the bill was to delegate powers of cabinet to any officer to make the issuance process of PB and NPB arms licences convenient. He said that Arms Policy 2012 had made the process of issuance of PB arms cumbersome as authority was given to PM Office and everybody has not access to this office. Now all this process will perhaps be under the control of a section officer or deputy secretary, and there will be an open and unfair distribution of PB and NPB licences, he deplored.

Leader of the House Dr Shahzad Waseem in his response said that the opposition was playing to the galleries. He said then President Asif Ali Zardari in an address to Indians on the invitation of Hindustan Times gave the slogan of “no first use” of nuclear arms without taking into confidence anyone.

Senator Waseem said that the opposition should talk on facts and read carefully the interview of PM. He said that PM had talked about nuclear deterrence against India when the journalist had questioned why Pakistan was increasing its nuclear weapons. Secondly, he said that the word was not only used for Kashmir but he said that there will be no need of deterrence after the resolution of Kashmir and related issues and the time when they learn to live as civilized citizens. “This is the crux…and there cannot be comprehensive reply than this,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani taking part in the debate said that the people had given much sacrifices to make this country a nuclear power. “For this, we are not related to India, and will not abandon the nuclear programme.” He questioned whether other countries where situation is normal have abandoned their nuclear programmes.  

Earlier, PPP Senator Gillani also sought an in-camera briefing from the PTI government on the situation developing after the withdrawal of US forces. He said that the house should be taken into confidence on this.  He said that Lahore blast could not be taken in isolation as a new wave of terrorism has stared. He reminded that 70,000 civilians and 10,000 personnel of law enforcement agencies in Pakistan had sacrificed their lives in the war of terror.

Later, the house passed the Pakistan Arms (Amendment) Bill with the majority of votes and the Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani directed the Ministry of Interior to make new rules of the legislation within one month.