ISLAMABAD: Treasury Senator and former chairman Senate Raza Rabbani has categorically demanded a parliamentary probe into “bringing TTP to Pakistan and not taking the public into confidence” by the powerful quarters.
“It was said about those Taliban who came to Pakistan—that they were “good Taliban”—that they would follow Pakistan’s constitution and law—that they should be rehabilitated here—neither the parliament nor the public was taken into confidence when all this was being done,” Rabbani said on the floor of the house in Tuesday sitting.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) legislator denied that National Security Committee (NSC) was taken into the loop over dialogue with the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Instead, he said, the committee was only informed that dialogue with TTP was underway. The political parties like PPP and Awami National Party (ANP) expressed strong reservations over this move, the senator added. Likewise, he said, the parliament and the entire nation were not taken into confidence over the ceasefire with TTP. In the same vein, Rabbani took on his own political party— PPP— for “playing politics over national interest.”
“I have a major complaint against my own political party and all other political parties—the federation’s life is on the line—it’s a matter of life and death—but they are too busy in playing politics to look into the issues of national security,” the former Senate chief deplored.
He demanded that Pakistan’s counterterrorism policy be thoroughly debated in the parliament’s joint session summoned on February 8, and the meeting of the relevant Senate committee be convened wherein all the stakeholders be invited to take up the issue.
On the Peshawar carnage, Rabbani said that words were not enough to condemn this tragedy.
Another treasury Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) lambasted the federal government that is led by his own political party—and demanded that the date for general elections be announced forthwith.
“This is a weak and ineffective government. Peshawar terrorist incident reflects our incompetence and negligence. Time has duly arrived to announce general elections,” he told the house.
On a lighter note, Hussain said that Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani as well as PPP’s Rabbani should “come together to announce a national government.”
Sanjrani, who was presiding over the session, responded that Sayed better submit his “CV” to be considered for the national government.
“I have just one-page CV,” the PML-N senator replied.
He said it is high time Pakistan formulate a clear policy against terrorism, learning from mistakes of the past. The senator suggested strengthening of National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA).
Opposition Senator Ejaz Chaudhary from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also took on the federal government for what he described was its continued failure to stem the tide of rising terror incidents. He cautioned that the “seeds of extremism sown in the country over the years were unleashing disastrous consequences” and urgent steps were needed to redress this situation.
Minister of State for Law Shahadat Awan said the federal government is determined to root out terrorism and restore peace in the country. The Senate was adjourned till Friday.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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