The opposition in the Senate alleged on Friday that the establishment had trained and equipped the Taliban, "and today they were being branded" as a bigger threat to peace than 'al Qaeda'.
It warned the government against using 'bullet' to settle issues in tribal areas, saying that the fire ignited there would not remain confined to the tribal belt. After a split in its ranks while the women protection bill was passed on Thursday night, the opposition again showed unity, but not on the perception that Dargai suicide attack was in reaction to Bajaur event.
While MMA saw US hand in the Bajaur event, ANP avoided indulging in such a controversy, squarely blaming the establishment for the state of affairs in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. MMA senators also cautioned that this 'attacks' was part of a global agenda to divide Pakistan, "and unfortunately General Musharraf is also following it".
ANP said it believed that the Dargai tragedy was a reaction to Bajaur carnage, but MMA insisted that to draw such a link between the two incidents was like following the Western powers' ploy.
The Senate session, which will be prorogued on Tuesday, started the debate after taking up identical motions filed by the opposition parties on Bajaur and Dargai events.
The attendance on both sides of the aisle was poor. MMA's parliamentary leader Gul Naseeb delivered the opening speech, but ANP president Asfandyar Wali's presentation was apparently more powerful and convincing.
"Is it not a reality that in 1981-82, we deliberately made Afghan refugees fighters. Then the same fighters were turned into Taliban, armed and trained by the establishment, and the West stood by them," he questioned.
He said that now General Musharraf and his supporters abroad "are calling Taliban more dangerous than al Qaeda". He alleged that Taliban were the product of the establishment and not of the Pushtoon society. At that time, he pointed out, they described their activities as 'fasaad', "while our friends sitting here dubbed these as Jehad".
Referring to military spokesman's 'conflicting' statements, he said that the government claimed to have killed Moulvi Liaquat Ali, with whom they had parleys overnight to sign a peace accord next morning.
"If as they say they had been monitoring their activities at Bajaur seminary for a year, then why, on Maulana's request, his men were freed? This is the cause of confusion," he argued.
"By targeting the madressah, who gained politically? the government? not at all; but the locals," he said, adding that no issue had ever been resolved through the use of gun. He questioned: "Where was the government when the same (Maulana) Liaquat was pushing thousands of fighters to Afghanistan?"
The ANP leader accused the rulers of forcing people to take up arms. "People will never toe your policy, if the State commits aggression against them," he cautioned. Asfandyar said that the first reaction of Bajaur was Dargai, and asked the government to opt for serious dialogue to defuse the situation. "You throw stones at my house and expect me to present flowers to you. This will not be on," he warned.
He had filed a privilege motion against the security agencies for recently stopping him from going to Bajaur "for condolence", and using teargas. He said that if such incidents would reoccur, he would again go there.
He spoke against keeping the people of tribal areas in isolation, saying that this would further compound the problem. He strongly pleaded for allowing democratic forces to visit those areas.
The Dargai attack, Asfandyar said, had a significant message for the government to review its policy, "which is fanning hatred" and complicating issues. "For the first time, a military installation has been targeted," he added. He called for review of Islamabad's policy towards Kabul, and said that only a peaceful Afghanistan would guarantee a secure Pakistan.
Gul Naseeb said he believed that the army could not have resorted to aggression at a seminary, and added the US had committed it. "Despite the government and the military's viewpoint, we still believe that Americans did it."
He also rejected the official stand that terrorists, local and foreigners, were being given training at the 'seminary', and that it was under surveillance for a year.
The MMA leader said that no foreigner died in the attack, adding that 40 of the 82 dead were innocent children, learning the Holy Quran by heart. "If today we prove that the US struck the madressah, who will then safeguard the country's security and sovereignty?" he questioned.
The senator from NWFP contended that the conditions were being created deliberately to encourage terrorism to pave the way for disintegration of the country. He said that through Jirgas and peace agreements, the things could be brought under control, while use of force would further aggravate them. To link Dargai incident to Bajaur was incorrect, he said, and added that this could be part of a conspiracy to pitch the public against the army.
Gul came hard on some ministers, who reportedly participated in the Hindu and Christian festivities. MMA's Abdul Rashid and Liaquat Ali Bangalzai also spoke and wanted to know who had benefited from sabotaging the likely agreement between local elders and the political administration in Bajaur.