ISLAMABAD: One of the four demands of the Pakistan Peoples Party — for the resignation of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan — echoed in the National Assembly on Friday when the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf backed it, citing non-implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) and accusing him of facilitating extremists and terrorists.

Recalling two tragic incidents in the country’s history that happened on Dec 16 — the fall of Dhaka in 1971 and the Peshawar Army Public School (APS) carnage in 2014 — both the PPP and PTI lashed out at the government and the minister for not learning lessons from mistakes of the past.

A report of a judicial commission, comprising Justice Qazi Faez Isa of the Supreme Court, on the Aug 8 Quetta Civil Hospital massacre added to the troubles of the government in the house as it had mentioned the interior minister allegedly had ties with the heads of some banned groups.

NA debate revolves around anniversary of fall of Dhaka, APS carnage

However, members of the ruling party defended the minister by recounting his ‘achievements’ and blamed other parties for the 1971 incidents.

Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed attempted for the third day to speak on the Panama Papers issue, but members on the treasury benches and PPP leaders said the day had been dedicated to the 131 students killed by militants and secession of East Pakistan, therefore, other matters should not be raised.

Later, the opposition boycotted the proceedings in protest over its leaders not getting an opportunity to speak on the floor of the house.

The session, with a remarkably low attendance, was adjourned till Monday evening when Sheikh Salahuddin of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) pointed out the quorum.

An exchange of harsh words between Sheikh Rashid and PPP leader Ijaz Jakhrani was witnessed as both wanted to have an opportunity to speak. Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq jumped into the altercation in support of the PPP MNA, requesting the speaker to keep Sheikh Rashid’s mike switched off.

Finally Sheikh Rashid retreated and told Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq that he did not want to create disturbance anymore and would speak on Monday.

“It is the need of the hour that Chaudhry Nisar should resign. Otherwise, he should be forced to step down,” Mr Jakhrani said, while referring to the report on the Quetta attack in his lengthy speech.

He said the PPP had already made four demands, including the resignation of the interior minister because he had not only failed to implement NAP but maintained friendly ties with Mohammed Ahmed Ludhianvi, the chief of a banned group, and allowed him to hold a public meeting in the federal capital.

“This is what the government is doing under NAP,” he said.

“Why did the incident of APS take place? It is because the rulers are not taking action against terrorist and extremist organisations, they rather facilitate and encourage them,” he said.

The PPP leader alleged that Chaudhry Nisar and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah had friendly relations with Mr Ludhianvi.

Talking about the fall of Dhaka, he said a 1971-like situation was being replicated in Balochistan where people had been deprived of basic rights and facilities.

Mr Jakhrani said that not only Balochistan, but the other two smaller provinces, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were also being ignored by the government. “We should learn from the past and should not repeat our mistakes,” he added.

After the PPP leader’s speech, an infuriated Khawaja Saad Rafiq indirectly blamed the opposition party for splitting the country. “My party didn’t exist at the time when Dhaka fell. I do not want to name those responsible for the breakup of Pakistan,” he said.

He said both the government and the opposition should stop the blame game and look forward for a better future for the country. “Memories of the past are quite bitter. We know who had backed martial laws and dictators in the past,” he said.

The minister said both the government and the opposition should make a pledge that they would not refrain from rendering any sacrifice for democracy and transparency.

Mr Rafiq also defended Chaudhry Nisar, saying that he and his party knew that the PPP had some problem with the interior minister, as a result of which his resignation was being demanded.

He claimed that Chaudhry Nisar was running his ministry in a more transparent manner as compared to his predecessors. “His performance is far better than his predecessors. He has not sold licences of Kalashnikovs,” he said.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Murad Saeed, while backing the PPP’s call for the resignation of the minister, demanded exemplary punishment for those behind the fall of Dhaka and the APS and Quetta terrorist attacks. “Peace cannot be restored in the country if punishments are not given to extremists and terrorists,” he said.

He also alleged that not only the interior minister but the Punjab law minister was also backing extremists and terrorists. “Unfortunately both of them get themselves photographed with the leaders of banned outfits,” he said.

The PTI leader urged the government to bring the people of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) into the mainstream. “People of Fata are also being ignored. Not a single university exists in Fata,” he said.

Mr Saeed said reports of the Hamoodur Rehman Commission on the fall of Dhaka and those on the Model Town, Lahore, police firing incident and the Quetta terrorist attack were available with the government but actions recommended in them were not being taken.

He said the government was ignoring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan and, as a result, a sense of deprivation was increasing among the people of those provinces. “Has the government ever shown affection to the people of Balochistan?” he asked.

When Mr Saeed started commenting on the Panama Papers issue and the related May 16 controversial speech of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in parliament, his mike was turned off by Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi and PML-N leader Daniyal Aziz was asked to speak.

This agitated members of the opposition parties who staged a walkout.

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai requested the annoyed MNAs of the PPP, MQM and PTI to return to their seats.

However, the MQM’s Sheikh Salahuddin pointed out the quorum, compelling the deputy speaker to adjourn the session.

The four demands were made by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari along with a threat to launch a movement against the government if they are not met by Dec 27. They also include the appointment of a foreign minister, formation of a parliamentary committee on national security, passage of the opposition’s bill for investigation into the Panama Papers scam and implementation of a resolution of a political parties’ conference on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor for ensuring its benefits to the smaller provinces.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2016