While the armed forces and civilians had suffered an irreparable loss at the hands of terrorist elements, certain political parties supporting the terrorists had not yet withdrawn their support to the militants, said Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain Saturday in a statement issued from the party’s London Secretariat.
The MQM chief made the statement in a veiled reference to the pro-dialogue parties like Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
The ruling PML-N itself seems to have changed its mind from dialogue to the use of force only after recent deadly attacks by the Tehtreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on military and civilian installations killing army men, media persons, law enforcers, polio workers and civilians, the statement said.
The PTI leaders, having been outspoken in the past, now seem to have decided to play safe on what a PTI provincial lawmaker said “sensitive” issue.
“I can’t comment on the MQM chief’s statement until I go through it,” said Muhammad Hafeezuddin, PTI’s MPA in Sindh Assembly.
He said given the “sensitive” nature of the issue of supporting talks with the Taliban, he would prefer to read the statement first and then comment.
On the other hand, Altaf, unlike his past rhetoric, also was reluctant to name the perceivably pro-Taliban political parties against whom he wanted the federal government to make laws in the Parliament.
The government, the MQM’s self-exiled leader said, would have to undertake new legislation in the parliament against such political parties in order to make Pakistan a citadel of peace by eliminating these terrorists and their sympathisers.
“We have already wasted considerable time in unnecessary discussions due to which the loss to life and property is increasing with each passing day. Hence, if the federal government and the armed forces take a decision to pull the country out of the prevailing crisis, it would be highly beneficial for the country.”
Hussain said the country would suffer irreparable loss if the decision against handling terrorism by the federal government and the armed forces was delayed.
