The opposition in the Senate on Monday warned of dire repercussions of 'blind and over-aggressive' use of state powers and resources including secret agencies by the present government to curb political foes and termed it a 'worst example' of state terrorism. Speaking at a motion moved in the Senate to hold debate on the current political situation in the country, the lawmakers from all opposition groups asked rulers to divert their attentions from suppressing opponents to change the lot of downtrodden people.
Almost all the legislators who spoke on the motion were particularly critical of federal government having strong hold over the resources of smaller provinces they thought were mounting sense of deprivation among them.
They accused the government of misusing recently enacted Anti Terrorism Act against political forces opposing military intervention in politics rather than actual lawbreakers.
They vowed to take to a logical conclusion their struggle against what they termed dictatorship in the country and military's growing interference in civilian matters.
Most of the speeches, however, revolved around the detention and manhandling of political parties' workers to flop March 31 and April 2 strikes called by Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (ponm) and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA).
Pukhtoonkhawa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Senator Raza Muhammad Raza said the country was at the verge of political collapse due to the present government's policy of keeping its opponents under watch by military means including secret agencies.
"The government is pursuing a faulty policy of letting secret agencies to curb its political foes and I tell you it will have grave aftermath," warned Raza, a firebrand Baloch nationalist.
The detention of the hundreds of PONM workers ahead of its March 31 strike call, Raza said, was a clear indication that the government was afraid of genuine opposition and didn't want to let any body raise voice against its policies.
Raza counted the construction of 'controversial' Kalabagh Dam to deprive Pakhtoons from Indus water; military offences in Wana and Balochistan, establishment of cantonments to loot province's resources, Gwadar, inflation and unemployment as reasons behind March 31 strike call.
MMA stalwart Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan was also equally furious against the government for using what he thought unethical and undemocratic ways for spoiling April 2 strike call of the religious alliance.
In his brief remarks, Maulana feared the extension of military exercise from South Waziristan Agency to other regions of NWFP province bordering Afghanistan to flesh out al Qaeda-linked fugitives.
Before he wound up his speech, he called upon the government to give a second thought to its policy of political vendetta to make the country a better place to live.
REPORTS LAID: Later, two reports of Senate Standing Committee on Interior were laid before the House after it condoned the delay in the presentation of these documents till Monday.
The one report was pertaining to the situation arising out of the ban on the activities of elected body of the National Assembly Secretariat Employees Co-operative Housing Society, Islamabad.
The other report was on private members' bills aimed at amending Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. The House was adjourned to meet again on Tuesday at 1030 hours.
Comments
Comments are closed.