Achakzai presents formula to curb terrorism

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Wednesday presented a three-point formula to deal with terrorism in the country and a recipe to deal with the militants effectively, claiming that if he is given a go-ahead, he could materialise his plan and resolve the decade-old issue until March 2014.
During his speech, Achakzai stole the show by raising three proposals based on wisdom and prudence. He advised the treasury and the opposition not to adopt a course of confrontation either with the TTP or the US. Achakzai opined, “If Pakistan expelled the foreigners from our tribal areas, the US may halt these drone strikes.” He did not favour a military operation in the tribal area, saying that he was a “man for peace” and always opposed military operations.
Handing down his recipe, Ackakzai said that as a first step, Pakistan should give an international guarantee that Afghanistan was a sovereign state and it would not meddle into its internal affairs. Moreover, he advised that the people of FATA should be given right to govern the tribal areas. Thirdly, he advised that the foreign fighters should be disarmed and expelled.
“I can resolve the mess in FATA by March 23 with a group of fifteen people if these conditions are materialised,” Achakzai said. He said, “Drones did the less collateral damage as compared to what our own airstrikes have done in the tribal areas.”
He asserted that the air strikes by Pakistan in FATA had caused too much damage than drone attacks.
The focus of the lawmakers turned from public-interest issues to the non-issues when the opposition decided to boycott the Senate session and rather holding a session on the lawn to protest against the interior minister.
Finally, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq requested Achakzai to get the matter settled as he enjoyed cordial ties with the treasury and opposition benches.
Difference also cropped up between the lawmakers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and other smaller opposition parties over blocking of the NATO supplies if drone attacks continued.
Though the National Assembly session started to carry on the debate on a motion to discuss the drone strikes but the focus of the debate remained the interior minister’s refusal to submit an apology and withdraw the answer about the number of people killed in the recent terrorist incidents.
The debate heated the environment to the extent that even the presenting of the Pakistan Protection Ordinance, which was placed at a supplementary order of the day, as the opposition parties demanded to put off the move for today (Thursday).
It was none other than the leader of the opposition in the house, Khrushid Shah, who drew the attention of the House towards the boycott of the opposition senators.
To which Nisar termed his conduct according to the norms and traditions of parliament. He claimed that he did not ridicule anybody or used any un-parliamentary word in the Upper House.
“I have rechecked the figures regarding casualties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) due to acts of terrorism with the provincial authorities and they have verified the number of the dead and injured claiming the numbers to be correct,” he maintained.
He offered to form a committee to inspect the conduct of the opposition members in the House on the day (October 30) when he gave these figures.
His explanation did not satisfy Shah who advised Nisar to show some flexibility as he wanted to help the government and to avoid any conflict.
Amid arguments and counterarguments, the speaker assigned Ackazai to settle the issue between the treasury and opposition.
The treasury members became angry after the opposition objected to inclusion of supplementary order of the day to lay Pakistan Protection Ordinance when the rules already had been suspended to discuss the drone issues.
A visibly disturbed Science and Technology Minister Zahid Hamid used strong words in protest to the request of the opposition for putting off the ordinance for another day. He also blamed the opposition for objecting to the laying of the ordinance which he said was in the national interest.
Later, briefing the house on Karachi situation, Nisar said the government was closely monitoring the ongoing targeted operation.
He said the recent law and order incidents ahead of Muharram were a conspiracy but the law enforcers were determined to control the situation. “We are fully aware of those behind these incidents which are not related to Shia-Sunni groups,” Ch Nisar said.