* Haidri says terrorist activities could be reaction over NATO supply’s restoration
* PML-N senator says govt failed to protect people’s lives, property
By Ijaz Kakakhel
ISLAMABAD: The Senate, on the second consecutive day on Friday, witnessed a walkout by the Awami National Party, Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, PML-Quaid, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement senators over the attacks in Bajaur Agency, bomb blast in Quetta and the law and order situation in the country.
On a point of order, Awami National Party senator from Balochistan, Daud Achakzai, said early on Friday, a bomb blast in Quetta’s Kuchlak area killed eight people, including their party’s office-bearers. The blast occurred at a political rally organised by the ANP, he added. He claimed that the ANP believed on principle of non-violence but regretted that some militants were targeting their party members across the country. He demanded the House that a complete report into the incident should be presented and the culprits should be meted out exemplary punishment.
Another ANP senator, Zahid Khan, said his party workers were constantly being targeted by terrorists. He said he ANP had sacrificed over 650 workers, and demanded the Ministry of Interior respond to the House over the situation within two days. All senators from the ANP and the JUI-F walked out over the tragic incident.
JUI-F Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haidri was of the view that killings of seven Pakistan Army personnel in Gujrat, prison staff in Lahore, and Quetta bomb blast at an ANP rally could all be related to government policy. The government has restored NATO supply routes and it was a possibility that militants were carrying out these attacks as a reaction. The country is passing through a critical situation and all political parties should sit together and make sincere efforts to resolve these issues and avoid killings of innocent people.
FATA Senator Hidayatullah informed the House that on Thursday some militants from Afghanistan entered Bajaur Agency and killed about 40 to 50 people. The militants remained there for a long time. He also regretted that 24 hours had passed since the incident, but the government had failed to take any measures to stop such attacks in the future. Saying this, he walked out of the House lamenting the government’s negligence.
MQM Senator Tahir Hussain Mashhadi termed the bomb attack in Quetta a cowardly act, and held responsible the Balochistan government for failing to provide security to the rally. He demanded judicial inquiry into the incident. He also condemned the Bajaur Agency incidents. In a sign of solidarity with the ANP, the MQM senator also joined the protest and walked out.
PML-N Senator Hamza told the House that Lahore, Bajaur and Quetta incidents were failure on the part of the government. The federal government should focus on such issues, he added. PML-Q Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed was of the view that the government should chalk out a comprehensive strategy over cross-border terrorism so as to stop such types of events in the future.
Opposition leader in the Senate Ishaq Dar, speaking on the occasion, condemned both the Lahore and Quetta incidents. He said the Punjab government had informed him that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa prison staff was getting training from National Jail Authority, which was run by the federal government in Lahore. The institute was headed by a KP official. He said a joint investigation team had been formed to probe the incident.
However, it will be better if the Interior Ministry briefed the House on the Lahore incidents. Later, showing solidarity with the affectees of the ANP and Bajaur incidents, the PML-N also joined the protest and walked out of the House.
State Minister for Interior Imtiaz Safdar Warraich assured the House that Interior Ministry would provide a detailed report on the Quetta incident within three days.
No comments:
Post a Comment