The government claims of doing enough for restoring peace and improving law and order in tribal areas and Swat was rejected by the treasury and opposition members in the National Assembly amid words of warning that the two areas have already fallen to the Taliban.
Interior advisor Rehman Malik's assertions in reference with recent steps taken by the government to strengthen writ of the government in troubled areas were challenged by Syed Haider Ali Shah, parliamentarian of ANP.
The ANP parliamentarian did not wait for completion of the advisor's answer and stood up from his seat and said that advisor was not giving the actual position. He expressed his anger over some exaggerated claims of the advisor.
Some MNAs from other parties including the PML-Q, PML-N and the PPP (Sherpao) also expressed their disappointment over the rosy picture presented by Rehman Malik out of, what they term, 'horrible situation' in Swat and Fata.
In his speech Rehman Malik said that the government had two options ie either to fight out Taliban or hand them over Swat. He claimed that the armed forces had taken over the Mingora city completely and writ of the government has been re-established. We are fighting Taliban in national interest, he added.
He said that Taliban force refurbished itself whenever the government had offered them negotiations. There is no way out other than fighting them out, he added. However, at one time, Rehman Malik also supported the NWFP government's initiative of talks with those who are not holding guns.
He said the government was moving forward and it would re-establish the writ of the state in the entire country. He referred to recent actions taken by the government in Khyber Agency, Hangu, and Kurram Agency and said that the writ has been re-established in these areas.
Speaking on a point of order, former minister Amir Muqam criticised that the government had failed to take any action against the Taliban in Swat. They have literally challenged the writ of the government, said Muqam, the PML-Q leader, who was summoned along with other politicians by Taliban movement in their court.
He said that even today (Monday) his Hujra in Shangla district was attacked by the Taliban. The situation is going from bad to worse and here the government is presenting a rosy scenario. The actual position of Swat might be less painful than the apathy being shown by the government, he added.
PML-N MNA Ayaz Amir asked the government to shun its unfounded optimism. Being upbeat on horrifying situation will never be welcomed, he added. "If the government claims that it is moving forward, I do not know what will be its moving backward," said the MNA in reference to claims made by the interior advisor.
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