MNAs flays law enforcement agencies on Karachi blast

ISLAMABAD: The members of the National Assembly (MNAs) Tuesday questioned the role of law enforcement agencies for failing to avert incidents like Abbas Town blast in Karachi.

The parliamentarians underlined the need of political unity and concerted efforts to eliminate terrorism from the country.

The House initiated debate on the Karachi situation on an adjournment motion moved by Wasim Akhtar of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

Opening the debate, Wasim Akhtar said the repeated warnings of Altaf Hussain and the intelligence reports announced by Interior Minister Rehman Malik had always been ignored by the authorities concerned.

He alleged that banned outfits were openly operating in all the provinces and their activists were not being apprehended while explosive-laden trucks were not intercepted.

He said that public money was being spent on the deployment of law enforcement agencies but they could not deliver to maintain peace in Karachi.

Akhtar said the law enfocers even could not enter six localities of the mega city, where a Jirga was imposing its decisions.

The ongoing wave of terrorism is not a sectarian one, rather it is a conspiracy to destabilize the country, he said.

He regretted that no senior police official recahed the blast site in Abbas Town and the people carried out rescue operation at their own.

The announcement of compensation for victim families is not a solution to lessen their miseries, he added.

The MNA said the religious parties were keeping mum on such terror incidents and were instead engaged in their electioneering.

Wasim Akhtar questioned as to why the government agencies did not raid the areas where the activists of banned outfits were staying after being acquitted by the courts.

He said the Chowkidari system was being introduced in Karachi.

He requested the President to take cognizance of the situation as the militants had not even spared the funeral processions of blast victims as firing took place there claiming more lives.

Khawaja Asif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz said the nation was still mourning the Quetta blasts when another incident occurred in Karachi.

Such incidents are a conspiracy being hatched at the time when the National Assembly is going to complete its five-year term, he added.

He said the failure of law enforcement agencies would beget formation of private armies for personal security. Some private armies are already active in the country working either in the name of religion or any other agenda, he added

Noor Alam Khan said terrorism was not a new phenomenon as it had been disrupting the country's peace for last 15 years.

Himayatullah Mayar said militant outfits had havens in all the provinces, and the parliament and all political parties had repeatedly called for strict action against terrorists, who had not spared worship places, educational institutions or common citizens from their attacks.

He said an indiscriminate action should be taken against all anti-state forces, which were disrupting the country's peace.

Sardar Bahadur Khan Sehar said all the political philosophies needed to be reviewed because some parties were protecting the leaders of militant outfits, who were involved in terror activities.

He said despite repeated reminders by the Federal Government to take action against the militant outfits, the Punjab government always remained hesitant to do so.

Minister for Education and Training Shaikh Waqas said that law and order situation was a provincial matter. The Sindh government should take responsibility of the gory blast and take steps to stop recuurence of such incidents in future.

He said the people sent them to the parliament to address their problems, but the issues would not be resolved by mere debates. The matter should be taken seriously and prompt action be taken to avert such incidents in future, he added.

He alleged that a banned outfit was hoisting its flags and displaying posters and banners in Punjab in total violation of law.

Maulvi Asmatullah said that enforcement of Islamic laws in the country was only way to cope with the problems confronted to the nation.

He viewed that no recommendation of the Islamic Ideological Council was implemented in the country.