NA Opp demands answers from military leadership

• NA Opp leader Khursheed Shah asks PM to summon military leadership in the House for briefing on security measures being adopted against terrorism, as PM Nawaz says nation, govt, security institutions united against terrorism
• Nisar says law and order situation is not as bad as a few years ago; says political leaders should criticise RAW and NDS, not our security agencies
• Opp parties walk out after Nisar’s remarks against previous govts for weak response to terrorism, PM manages to bring them back in House

Expressing deep grief over the deadly terrorist attack in Quetta on Monday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday reiterated that the whole nation, the government and the security institutions were united to annihilate the scourge of terrorism, as the opposition demanded summoning the military leadership in the House to brief lawmakers on security measures being taken to safeguard citizens against terrorism.

Speaking in the National Assembly, the prime minister said such cowardly attacks could not weaken the nation’s resolve. He added that the government is committed to ensuring a prosperous and stable Pakistan, according to the vision of Quaid-e-Azam and all the political parties.

The prime minister said the political and military leadership had vowed to ensure peace and tranquility in the country, besides implementing the National Action Plan (NAP). The national and military leaderships have unanimously decided to launch the operation Zarb-e-Azb and NAP, he added .He said that today Pakistan is more secure and stable than in recent years. The terrorist attacks, he said, had infused new vigour and added determination in the resolve to root out terrorism.

Condemning the terrorist attacks and the ideology behind such inhuman acts, the prime minister said such dogmas of obnoxious minds in the past had snuffed out lives of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, innocent people in Safoora Goth tragedy, Hazara community in Quetta, Peshawar church and innocent children of Army Public School.

He said the enemy had targeted the notable and prominent personalities in the country, besides killing minorities.

“Such repugnant thoughts are the enemies of our life style, our constitution, judiciary, national security institutions and our people,” he added.

The prime minister called upon the nation to forge unity to defeat terrorists’ designs. He reiterated that they would not rest until elimination of terrorism. Referring to the Quetta carnage, he said the enemy had targeted the president of Balochistan High Court Bar Association, journalists, people and the civil society through planning. The tragic incident had left the whole nation in pain.

It all happened at a time when Pakistan was raising awareness about the Indian atrocities against the Kashmiris in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) globally, he added. He said a mindset was involved in such heinous activities that did not tolerate the improved law and order situation in Pakistan, especially in Balochistan. Such mindset did not like the emerging prospects of progress and prosperity of the country and the mega development projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he added.

The prime minister stressed on forging unity as he said that through unity, they would deliver a decisive blow to all the enemies of the country. Lauding efforts and sacrifices of the national security institutions, he said they were securing the borders, besides protecting the people from enemies and terrorists inside.

The prime minister said all the institutions were carrying out their responsibilities excellently. He said that on the one hand, the armed forces of Pakistan were ensuring the security, but on the other hand, the country’s intelligence agencies were foiling hundreds of enemies’ designs and plots which were aimed at destabilising and targeting the national institutions and people.

NISAR CRITICIZES POLITICAL LEADERS ON AGENCIES REMARKS:

Criticising the people who gave statements against intelligence agencies in the wake of the Quetta bombing, Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said the dissenting political leaders should have raised their voice against RAW and NDS, the spy agencies of India and Afghanistan.

Addressing the NA, the interior minister said terrorists knew that lawyers are going to assemble at the Civil Hospital, adding that the government is determined to push this war to its logical end.

He briefed the House that a crucial meeting presided over by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif continued for hours to discuss law and order in the country. He said another meeting will be held today (Thursday).

The minister highlighted the current situation of law and order in the country and compared it with that in the past.

Nisar said that there was not a single day in the past when no suicide blast struck the country. He added that Pakistan has suffered as a result of terrorism even more than Iraq or Afghanistan.

He said that the General Headquarters (GHQ) was attacked in the past, adding that even airports and air-bases were not safe in those days.

Nisar said that the government aimed to hold talks with the terrorists as it was considered the best option at that time, further stating that the idea of negotiating with the terrorists failed as they kept attacking public places.

The interior minister said that the decision to initiate operation against the terrorists was made three months after holding a series of talks with them. He said that military leaders took part in meetings related to national security in order to give the message that the civil-military leadership was on one page when it came to the country’s security.

Nisar said that the operation against terrorists could not have been a success without the cooperation of the public. He said that unity was required in order to minimise the activities of the terrorists.

“Those who are battling against terrorism are our heroes,” said Nisar, adding that the speeches made in the parliament on Tuesday were condemnable even if they were made in the parliament of any other country. He said that the terrorists should know that the nation is united.

The interior minister said that evidence regarding the Quetta blast had been obtained, adding that the attack was well-planned and coordinated. He added that implementing NAP was the responsibility of all.

‘DON’T NEED CERTIFICATES OF PATRIOTISM FROM NISAR’:

Irked by the interior minister’s scathing criticism, the opposition lawmakers staged a walkout from the session.

Speaking on a point of order before staging the walkout, Leader of Opposition Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah said that they never criticised the government and always talked about joint efforts to fight terrorism.

He said, “They do not need a certificate of patriotism from any one, nor does Asif Zardari need praise from any one.”

He demanded from the government to summon the military leadership to the parliament and brief the House regarding the current security situation of the country.

Shah also asked for heads of intelligence and security agencies to be present for the briefing.

“The government should summon heads of the all security and intelligence agencies in the Parliament asking them to brief the session about the steps taken by them to provide security to the people of Pakistan,” Shah said.

During the session the opposition leader suggested to establish a parliamentary national security committee in order to monitor the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) and progress in Operation Zarb-i-Azb.

“A parliamentary committee must be formed to review the steps taken by the government and the security agencies for implementing the National Action Plan,” Shah said.

Shah also suggested the government to establish a Parliamentary National Security Committee for monitoring the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) and progress in the Operation Zar-i-Azab.

Responding to criticism by the interior minister regarding PPP’s earlier tenure, Shah said it is not the right time for political point scoring.

“PPP’s government had twice summoned the military leadership in joint parliamentary in-camera sessions and had asked it to address the concerns of the parliamentarians regarding security issues.”

Addressing the prime minister, who was present in the NA session, the opposition leader said ministers like Nisar are enough to weaken his government.

The opposition parties later walked out from the session in protest against the criticism by the minister of interior.

NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq requested Ministers Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada and Zahid Hamid to bring the opposition members back to the House.

However, the prime minister himself visited the Opposition Lobby and brought the opposition members back to the House. Maulana Fazalur Rehman, Asif Hasnain and other members lauded the prime minister for reaching out to the opposition members themselves.