Lawmakers in the National Assembly on Wednesday expressed their concerns over the growing sectarian clashes in Parachinar and Dera Ismail Khan, criticising the spy agencies for not controlling them despite knowing the elements behind such criminal activities.
On a point of order, the members strongly condemned the Tuesday suicide blast in the emergency ward of the DHO hospital, D I Khan, where over 30 people belonging to a certain sect killed and the same number injured. The lawmakers also asked the government to compensate the victims and ensure eradication of the sectarianism before it spread to other parts of the country.
Rehman Malik, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior told the House that the government was dealing with the situation by negotiating religious and tribal elders and using forces where it was necessary.
Malik used the routine tone saying that the government was alive and in a position to cope with those who took the law in their hands.
He informed the House that the sectarian conflict between Shia and Sunni was not a new issue as it was started some 15 years back.
He said that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had visited Peshawar recently and initiated engaging the elders of the two sides to sort out the burgeoning issue of sectarianism through peaceful means.
Due to the efforts, he claimed that cease-fire had been declared in the 95 percent area in the volatile Kurram Agency and deadline had been given to them to end it or face consequences.
He also informed the House that Deputy Speaker of National Assembly and IGP NWFP were in D I Khan presently and were engaged to settle the issue between the two sects through negotiations. He also informed the House that law enforcement agencies killed 15 Taliban during the last night, saying that there was another group, which was involved in fuelling the sectarianism.
Rehman further said that law enforcement agencies also took action in different parts of the Punjab and arrested four alleged suicide attackers along with 50kg explosive.
Earlier, a PML-N lawmaker Sher Akbar Khan strongly denounced the government that Shia people were being assassinated in the NWFP and the government seemed to be helpless to protect them. He said that neither the federal and nor the provincial governments announced to compensate the victims of the Tuesday suicide blast in D I Khan.
The law enforcement agencies better knew that who were behind such brutalities, but had failed to take any effective action in a bid to protect the Shia community in NWFP, he added.
"If the government is helpless to protect us then it should allow us to protect ourselves as we know that how to deal such situation," the furious member maintained.
Sheikh Waqas of PML-Q also condemned the D I Khan incident and asked the government to keep eye on the banned religious organisations, which he said, were involved in the sectarian violence.
He warned the government that these elements would soon reach Islamabad and other cities of Punjab if timely actions were not taken.
Later, Haider Abbas Rizvi, the Deputy Parliamentary leader of MQM in the National Assembly paid homage to former President General Pervez Musharraf for what he said his visionary decision for resignation without confrontation among the national institutions. Due to the resignation of the President, he said, a major political crisis was avoided. He also gave credit to PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari for handling the situation with political sense.
Abbas also reminded the political leadership about those politicians who he said always used backdoor channels for entering the corridors of power and left the leaders alone at difficult time.
He said that political leadership should learn a lesson from the past and play their positive role for strengthening the democracy.
Earlier, Law Minister Farooq H Naek laid the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Ordinance, 2008 and introduced Bill to further amend the Guardian and Wards Act,1890.
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