Lawmakers in Senate criticised the government and security establishment over their failure in maintaining peace in the country while calling for a complete review of the National Action Plan after a brazen daylight attack on Bacha Khan University in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda town on Wednesday.
The senators were of the view that if the government had followed the anti-terror plan in letter and spirit, the terror attack on the varsity could have been averted.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Senator Tahir Mashhadi said intelligence agencies had failed to protect the lives of citizens as the attack occurred despite a high alert.
“A sympathiser of Daesh (Islamic State), Maulana Abdul Aziz, is sitting in the heart of Islamabad but the government has taken no action against him,” said Mashhadi.
Senator Usman Kakar also blamed the government for protecting Maulana Abdul Aziz of the Lal Masjid.
Taking part in the debate, Senator Muhammad Hamza from the treasury also termed the incident a failure of intelligence agencies.
“It is highly regrettable that the government did not call an emergency session of parliament to hold a debate over the attack,” said Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman.
Senator Javed Abbasi called for a more lethal operation against militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and stressed the need for talks with extremists.
Senator Sameena Abid criticised the country’s top leadership over its bid to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Iran ‘without putting its own house in order’.
PPP Senator Aitzaz Ahsan decried what he said was a collective attitude towards extremism and reminded his fellow lawmakers that a sitting minister even sobbed at the death of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakimullah Mehsud.
At least 21 people were killed when unidentified gunmen entered Bacha Khan University in Khyber Pakhtunkha’s Charsadda town Wednesday and opened fire on students and faculty members.
Security forces fought back and cleared the varsity after an hours long operation, killing all the four attackers who entered the premises.
The mastermind of the APS Peshawar attack, Umar Mansoor, of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Geedar group has claimed the attack through a post on his Facebook page, adding that four attackers were sent to the university.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced a national day of mourning tomorrow (Jan 21), and the national flag would be lowered to half-mast.
