Opposition seeks govt policy on terror fight
ISLAMABAD, Oct 10: Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Friday expressed doubts about fruitful outcome of the joint sitting of parliament discussing the issue of terrorism.
He said the government had so far not apprised the lawmakers of its policy on the problem.
Addressing a press conference here, he said that apparently the government had been following the policy of former president Pervez Musharraf in the war on terror.
“The PPP-led government should inform parliament as to what extent Musharraf’s policies are continuing,” he said.
He said that during the first two days of the joint session, parliamentarians were briefed by military officials about the situation in Fata and other areas of the country where security forces were fighting against militants.
“The PPP government should have informed the lawmakers about its own policy towards terrorism instead of asking military officials to go into details of the operation,” he said.
“Parliamentarians must be informed about the reasons that had forced us to fight the war of America in our country. Similarly, we should clear whether we are fighting our own fight or not,” he said.
The PML-N leader said that all the secret agreements struck with the US should be presented before parliament.
“It is noteworthy that no suicide attack had taken place before the country’s becoming ally of US in war on terror,” he said.
Meanwhile, government sources said it would apprise parliamentarians about its policy on war on terror and future line of action in the next session of the joint sitting on Monday.
Although the opposition leaders are criticising the government for not presenting any plan to combat militancy, so far opposition leaders have failed too in coming up with a real solution that how terrorism could be eradicated and how the life and property of people could be protected from suicide attacks.
“The interior ministry has acknowledged that it is next to impossible to overcome suicide attacks. In this perspective it is inevitable that a solution to all problems, including terrorism, be found in the joint session of parliament,” Chaudhry Nisar said.
Commenting on the briefing given by the director-general of military operations at in-camera joint session of parliament, he said it was up to professional standard.“Describing army policies subservient to the government by him was a good omen,” he said.
The opposition leader said that the government should hold joint sittings of the two houses to evolve a comprehensive policy on the country’s foreign policy and the Kashmir issue.
Senator Ishaq Dar said it was imperative that a joint session of parliament be apprised of all agreements executed with the US claiming that Nato and the US did not want the government and tribal elders should pursue the path of dialogue.
PML-N leaders Hanif Abbasi, Anjum Aqeel Khan and Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry were present on the occasion.