Khan for end to drones, truth commission for Waziristan

Another chapter was added into the country’s democratic history on Wednesday as the opposition and treasury members spoke of their respective resolve to evolving consensus on key national issues and formulating a joint strategy to eradicate the terrorism and introducing transparency, good governance and removing corruption from the country.

The initiative in this regard was taken by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, who not only took a formal oath as member of the National Assembly, but also made his maiden speech on the issues confronted by the people of Pakistan.

Khan, who was unable to take oath with other lawmakers on June 1 as he was undergoing treatment for severe back injuries suffered after a fall at an election rally, completely dwarfed Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah, who was first to welcome him with a handshake.

The 60-year-old Khan appeared visibly perturbed by terrorist attacks on his party leaders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), as he spoke his heart out on terrorism and called for a consensus strategy to deal with terrorists.

Elaborate security protocol was in place for Khan, who returned to the National Assembly after a lapse of around nine years. He had resigned from his NA membership in 2004 to protest Pakistan military’s operation in South Waziristan.

As soon as the PTI chief entered the House, workers and sympathisers of the PTI present in the galleries stood up and started clapping.

Wearing a white cotton dress, Khan walked with a little unease. The medical vest he had donned for supporting his injured back was visible through his clothes.

Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who defeated Khan in NA-122 Lahore constituency, promptly directed visitors not to clap for Khan, who he said was still a stranger in the House until he took oath as a member.

Khan was immediately asked to take oath. No treasury member went to Khan’s seat to enquire about his health until after his speech ended, while Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan constantly remained involved in consultation with Law Minister Zahid Hamid, pretending he had not seen Khan.

Calling for evolving a consensus on national issues, Khan urged the government and military leaders to build a unanimous strategy to get US drone attacks stopped and remove the impression that Pakistan was part of the US war on terrorism.

Khan did not hide his party’s intention of holding the new government accountable as a robust opposition.

“The prime minister, army chief and KP chief minister should sit together and form a policy on halting drone attacks. We would have to tell the US that we are all on the same page. We have to make this war our war, and it cannot become our own war unless we stop drone attacks,” he maintained.

The PTI chief argued that the civilian deaths encouraged people to join militant groups, and the Taliban held the government responsible for drone strikes and ensuing deaths.

Khan said he was not in favour of shooting down drones, as some of his own party members had urged, but called for a more concerted diplomatic effort.

“Each drone strike links Pakistan to the war on terror of US. Whenever we go for talks, drone attacks disrupt the peace initiative. I have heard that Waliur Rehman was supportive of talks. But he was also wiped out like Naik Mohammad and others. We would have to get drone attacks stopped,” he asserted.

He said the PTI had a strategy of doing so. He asked the government to speak the truth to the people of Pakistan and stop lying. “If there is any agreement for drone strikes, please make it public,” he added.

“First of all we should go to the UN Security Council and raise the issue there. There is a strong support within the US for our anti-drone drive. Barrack Obama also changed his policy of reducing drone following pressure from his own people, not ours. Even there is an anti-drone group in British parliament,” he said.

Khan said that after getting drone strikes stopped, the government should form a truth and reconciliation commission in Waziristan.

He also urged Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to form a commission to probe massive allegations of vote fraud to revive the confidence of youth in democratic process.

“I am not asking for more. Probe should be conducted in four constituencies as a litmus test and votes should be verified with thumb impression verification.”

“I was jailed for the cause of CJP. We took out two long marches for my dream of an independent judiciary. It’s the responsibility of the CJP to serve justice,” he maintained.

The PTI chairman also called for making NAB independent and authorised to even arrest ministers and other high-ranking officials to purge corruption from the government’s ranks.

In his speech, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar called Khan a statesman and told the parliament that the government had held detailed discussions with the army chief and would formulate a consensus on drones.

“The nation should stand united and send out a message that Pakistan is not a banana republic,” Nisar said.

Welcoming Khan’s speech, Nisar called upon political forces to join hands for national consensus on important economic, political and strategic issues.

“Imran’s voice was not the voice of a party leader but of a patriotic Pakistani. If these sentiments continue to prevail, this parliament will be the pivot of power and no world power will dare humiliate Pakistan,” he said.

Focusing on every point raised by Khan one by one, Nisar invited the opposition to investigate election results on 10, 20 or 30 seats.

“You give the names for an independent commission. We shall ensure open investigation whether by checking voters’ finger prints or through other mechanism. You propose four constituencies, but we offer you any 10 to 30 seats for investigations. The government will support this process to know the reality,” Nisar said.

He proposed disqualifying any member who had reached the House through rigging and ban such members for three to five years and dismiss the officials who collaborated in rigging.

On national security issues, the interior minister said the prime minister had almost completed consultation with political leaders to convene a meeting on two points; independence and sovereignty and terrorism.

He also mentioned a meeting with the chief of the army staff and said defence services chiefs would also be invited to this meeting. He said Pakistan was not part of the war on terror and it was dragged into it by a dictator for continuation of his regime.

On the issue of accountability, Nisar agreed with the proposal of Imran Khan regarding an independent accountability system. “We want a consensus NAB chairman who enjoys confidence of all stakeholders in terms of honesty and impartiality. We shall hold meaningful consultation. We shall send the panel of names to opposition to ensure a genuine and independent NAB. It will be meaningful consultation contrary to the past practice,” he added.

“Let us also constitute an ethics committee of the House to judge the conduct of parliamentarians and any allegation against any member should first be judged by this committee and then sent to NAB.”

The interior minister also invited the opposition to introduce a conflict of interests bill to the House and assured the government’s support. “No government can be worth its name until it ensures transparency.”

Nisar also mentioned to process of election of chief election commissioner and said, his name was first floated by the PTI and the PML-N stood by the nomination.

He assured accepting criticism with an open heart and taking along the opposition on national issues like economic revival, war against terrorism, independence of institutions and load shedding.

“Let us have a joint ownership of all decisions. Let us move forward with this spirit. We are ready to give credit to the opposition for successes and take responsibility for failures. But ensure that the House enjoys respect and democracy flourishes,” he added.