ISLAMABAD - The Senate Standing Committee on Interior Monday unanimously passed a resolution condemning Indian involvement in terrorism in Balochistan as well as terrorist attack on Chinese Consulate in Karachi and demanded enhanced security of Chinese citizens across the country.
The committee that met in chair of PPP Senator Rehman Malik also unanimously passed two other resolutions condemning terrorist attack on Chinese Consulate in Karachi and blast in Kalaya Bazar, Orakzai Agency.
The chair said Daesh or IS had claimed responsibility for a recent attack though the law enforcement agencies had until now denied the footprints of Islamic militant organisation in Pakistan. The government owes an explanation regarding this, he added.
The meeting was attended by Senators Javed Abbasi, Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Ateeq Shaikh, Haji Momin Khan Afridi, Chaudhry Tanvir Khan, Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen, Senator Sirajul Haq, Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) and representatives of Ministries of Interior, Law and Justice and CDA.
RESOLUTION AGAINST INDIAN INVOLVEMENT
The resolution condemned Indian involvement in terrorism in Balochistan through Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a nationalist group, and covert operations. “The committee unanimously condemns the Indian continuous interference in Balochistan. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his minister for interior had threatened Pakistan earlier that they would sort out Pakistan through Balochistan,” it said. It added that attack on Chinese Consulate Karachi was claimed by BLA, whereas India is openly supporting this group. It further said that India government owed explanation to Pakistan and international community for their continued support to BLA and other separatists in Balochistan. “Indian Government must stop its covert anti-Pakistan operations in Balochistan,” the resolution said.
RESOLUTION AGAINST ATTACK ON CHINESE CONSULATE
The resolution condemned the terrorist attack on Chinese Consulate in Karachi and expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives of two policemen and two civilians and extended heartfelt condolences and sympathies to their families. “We, the members highly appreciate the courage and timely response of Sindh Police and Sindh Rangers and also applaud great professionalism and bravery demonstrated by our great daughter - ASP Suhai Aziz Talpur who led the operation,” it said.
The resolution asked the government to further enhance the security of Chinese citizens in Pakistan across the country. It said that such acts of terrorism were against both Pakistan and China to harm CPEC. “We also advise the Government to revisit the security plan of Red Zone and Diplomatic Enclave,” it said adding that government should ensure no security violation takes place in such sensitive zones and their places all over the country.
RESOLUTION AGAINST
BLAST IN ORAKZAI
The third resolution condemned deadly terrorist bomb blast in Kalaya Bazar area of Lower Orakzai district of KP demanded from the government to brief the committee about the blast as to which terrorist organisation was behind the unfortunate attack.
Deliberating over compensations and other emoluments for victims, PML-N Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad suggested that it was imperative that the committee takes notice of the government making blank announcements with no further implementation. He said that uniform compensation should be given to all families of victims.
The committee also unanimously decided to move a motion in the Senate for constitution of a committee to examine terms of reference (TORs) for proposed Reconciliation and Truth Commission
CDA’S ANTI-ENCROACHMENT DRIVE
The committee criticised the Capital Development Authority (CDA)’s anti-encroachment drive in Islamabad and showed concerns that the civic body had demolished a number of shops, plazas, houses and other places without giving any notice to the alleged grabbers.
The Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) Afzal Latif and other CDA officials briefed the committee about the recently launched anti-encroachment drive.
“Who had allowed the encroachments in Islamabad, indeed officials of CDA earlier had allowed people to build shops, plazas, houses and outlets illegally,” the chair questioned. He said strict actions must be taken against those officers of CDA who had issued illegal NOCs and permission to people to run their business and build houses on government properties. Malik showed his annoyance over demolishing a restaurant of foreign food chain on Kashmir Highway and said the owner had got approval from the CDA earlier.
Senator Rehman Malik remarked that this committee would not allow anyone and authority to violate the fundamental rights of the public adding that the committee would investigate and monitor CDA actions against encroachments. He said that the committee has been receiving many complaints from the victims of the encroachment that how CDA was violating the law by not informing them with prior notices.
Khushal Khan, Member (Estate) CDA told the committee that prior notices had been issued to the owners of all such encroachments. He admitted that the owner of the restaurant had got an “illegal” approval from the CDA’s lower rank officials but the approval had been withdrawn after this came into the notice of senior officers.
The chair stressed that action should be taken against those CDA officials who allegedly involved behind such encroachments and claimed that he had in possession a list of such officials. He said that Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will take action against all those found responsible after thorough investigations. Rehman Malik said that committee would be holding public hearing in December to listen and address reservations of citizens on land grabbing, illegal allotment of government properties and CDA’s anti-encroachment drive.