NA lawmakers call for sustainable policy to combat terrorism

• MNAs called for a sustainable policy to combat scourge of terrorism
• They urged the political leadership to join hands for achieving lasting peace
• They urged to provide a compensation package for victims of Peshawar blast

ISLAMABAD: Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) on Wednesday called for a sustainable policy to combat the scourge of terrorism as faulty policies of successive governments proved disastrous for the country.

Participating in a debate on the Peshawar Police Lines mosque blast in the House, they urged the country’s political leadership to set aside their differences and join hands for achieving lasting peace.

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Raja Riaz called for unity to defeat terrorism. He assured the armed forces and law-enforcement agencies that the entire nation stands behind them to curb terrorism.

While criticizing policies of the past, Raja Riaz said slammed the decision to bring terrorist elements from Afghanistan and let them settle in Pakistan. “We should come out of the notion of good or bad Taliban, as this theory has proved wrong,” he said.

The opposition leader urged the government to provide the best medical facilities to the injured and a compensation package for victims of the incident.

MNA Nasir Khan Musazai said all the rulers from 1980’s to date were responsible for the current state of affairs. He suggested the scourge could only be eliminated through a national counter-terrorism policy evolved over a decade.

Mohsin Dawar, an independent member, also blamed the policies of successive governments for sowing the seeds of terrorism in the country.

A Truth and Reconciliation Commission on the Afghan policy should be constituted and those responsible for the “disastrous policies” be held accountable, he added.

Agha Rafiullah of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) recalled the terrorist attack on the Army Public School Peshawar and said the city witnessed another massive terror incident.

He alleged that Imran Khan, whose party he claimed was imposed on the country, including Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, had been promoting terrorism.

“It was Imran Khan who had even dubbed the elements involved in the APS attack as ‘shaheed’. He was leveling baseless allegations against the PPP leadership who had rendered supreme sacrifice in the war on terror,” Agha Rafiullah added.

Maulana Muhammad Jamaluddin of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) termed the Peshawar incident extremely tragic, expressing his astonishment over how a terrorist managed to enter the police lines mosque.

He thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for visiting Peshawar and urged him to announce a compensation package for the bereaved families. He said terrorism had nothing to do with Islam and the terrorists were enemies of humanity.

MNA Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur said the Peshawar incident was a disaster. “Terrorism is a war in which you act and don’t wait for the enemy to strike,” he added.

He said innocent people were massacred in the Peshawar blast. He said the state should declare a war against terrorism, and everyone including Ulema, security forces, and others would have to play their role.

Salahuddin of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) said the armed forces had overpowered the scourge of terrorism through successful operations, but again the terrorist incidents had resurfaced. Pakistan suffered economic losses of billions in the war against terrorism, he added.

Saira Bano of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) said unfortunately a concrete policy to tackle terrorist incidents could not be evolved.

She said the menace could not be eradicated till the sense of deprivation of the people was removed. Later the House was adjourned to meet again on Friday at 11 AM.

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