Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Haji Adeel has said the country did not need a large army, adding that the military should protect country’s territorial boundaries instead of “ideological frontiers”.
Speaking at a seminar on Wednesday, Senator Adeel said ideological frontiers were safeguarded by parliament, not the armed forces. Adeel said though he supported the army in FATA, he would oppose it in Balochistan.
Adeel also stressed the need to introduce changes in army’s setup. He said provincial militias should be formed to associate provinces in defence matters. He said the role of army in East Pakistan, Sindh and Balochistan was for everyone to see.
The ANP leader said according to defence analysts, “we have not won even a single war”. He said the army fought a national war against terrorists in Swat and Malakand for the first time, calling for reducing the strength of the army and a change in military structure.
Adeel said when they asked about the dual nationality of judges, they were told that there was no ban on having dual nationality, but the question was not answered.
The senator said the caretaker ministers were appointed after clearance by the ISI, adding that the civilian government should be given the right to formulate the country’s foreign policy.
Speaking on the occasion, Senator Mushahid Hussain said there was no role of the army, establishment or US in the Parliamentary Committee for National Security.
He said parliament had filed to devise an anti-terrorism strategy and that the Swat operation was not possible without support of the nation.
Mushahid said the credit went to the chief justice for his role in strengthening the democratic process.
