ISLAMABAD: The opposition in the Senate on Monday slammed the government for its “policy of appeasement” towards terrorist organisations, noting that talks with those challenging the state’s writ had encouraged and encouraged such actors.
Speaking on the adjournment motion on rising tide of terrorism, opposition senators also expressed concern Talks Along with the illegal Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which was being conducted through a government that was not recognized by any country in the world.
He was recently unveiled national security policy It should be discussed in Parliament and in the light of that discussion an internal security policy as well as Afghan strategy should be prepared.
The senators claimed that the government was devoting all its energy to suppress dissent and corner its political opponents, ignoring its responsibility to protect the lives of the people.
Rashid warns of terror threat against opposition march, urges plan to reconsider
However, the interior minister claimed that talks with the banned group had stalled because their demands were unreasonable, warning the opposition of a potential terror threat if it went ahead with its proposed Long March and asking them to consider rescheduling it. said.
In an early debate on the subject, Pakistan Peoples Party leader Sherry Rehman sought clarification on how a current prime minister can decide who is or isn’t the leader of the opposition – a reference to PM Khan’s recent statement Statement Where he said that he has no respect for Shahbaz Sharif in his mind and does not consider him as the leader of the opposition.
“It is not their decision, nor is it their prerogative. It is the sovereign right of the people to elect their representatives, not their own prerogative as an expression of their own pride and bizarre conception of the political and constitutional reality of the country,” she remarked.
He criticized the prime minister for relentlessly blaming previous governments, external factors, or anyone other than his own government for all the ills of the country. He said that the people of Pakistan no longer know where to turn in their hour of unprecedented sorrow as crisis after crisis has hit civilians.
“He is making Pakistan laughing stock by threatening his own country but also sending a message to his selectors, who are now clearly fed up with this amateur show. Given Pakistan’s national security challenges and economic crisis, a lot is at stake. You cannot rule by magic. Pakistan will not be sacrificed in front of anyone’s ego.”
But defending his party chief, the Leader of the House in the Senate, Dr Shahzad Wasim, said the prime minister was only showing the mirror to the opposition.
Asked who could threaten “such an incompetent opposition”, he said, after being disqualified by the courts, he first distributed sweets and then started asking.mujhe kyon nikala‘ (Why I was fired). Due to this the opposition staged a symbolic walkout.
Former Senate President Raza Rabbani said the state was patronizing extremist right-wing forces and religious groups, adding that the TTP was asked to reorganize in Afghanistan.
He said the TTP continued to violate the ceasefire agreement, but the government still maintains that its doors are open for talks.
Senator Tahir Bijenjo of the National Party said that there have been eight terrorist attacks across the country in the last 10 days, while Nawabzada Umar Farooq Qasi said that talks with the terrorists gave him encouragement.
Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami expressed regret that terrorists and target killers ruled and demanded that former military ruler Pervez Musharraf be brought to Pakistan and his surrender before US and assassination of Nawab Akbar Bugti be tried.
He asked who was it that actually negotiated with the TTP and what were the terms of these talks. He also sought clarification from the interior minister on his statement about the presence of sleeper cells of terrorists in Islamabad.
Responding to the opposition, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that at present no talks are taking place with the TTP as their demands are considered against the security interests of the country.
He claimed that India does not want good relations between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan, adding that evidence suggests that RAW was behind several terror attacks in the country, carried out by local criminals hired by the Indian agency. Were.
He also revealed that the opposition’s protest march in the capital to be held in March this year was also under threat of a terrorist attack and called on its leadership to reconsider its decision.
Published in Dawn, January 25, 2022