NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti on Thursday stressed need for holding a national Jirga and engaging local population in combating militancy and ending of space for al Qaeda and Taliban in Fata (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) and the province.
In his wind up speech on law and order situation in provincial assembly, he expressed the fear of the crossing of the ongoing fire into Punjab and called for initiating collective efforts for arresting the crises that had threatened the future of the coming generation.
He said that after lack of co-operation with the militants by the local population, the militants would find no space to operate. He sought the support of the whole nation in what he called the war of survival. He said that if the nation failed in extending support to NWFP in the war then crises could engulf Faisalabad, Multan, Lahore of Punjab and the business hub Karachi of Sindh.
The chief minister attributed the prevailing situation to insurgency and asked the legislators to distinguish between a routine law and order situation and uprising. He reminded that when Russia invaded Afghanistan, the people were asked to fight for Islam, totally ignoring the source of the supplies of resources.
He said the whole nation know that who framed the foreign policy adding that then policymakers ruined two traditional pillars of powers in tribal areas - one was the political administration and other Malik system - and established the third pillar with the name of militants.
The chief minister reminded that after 9/11, another turning point came when those supporting the then Mujahideen took U-turn. The restoration of peace in NWFP, he said was directly linked with the restoration of peace in the tribal region that itself is linked with peace in Afghanistan. The restoration of peace in NWFP, he said was impossible without having stability in Afghanistan and Fata.
Defending the Bajaur operation, he said, the government had sent a delegation to hold negotiation with the locals before launching operation but there were thousands of Arabs, Uzbeks and Chechens and they were unaware of the Pakhtun traditions and customs.
"The Jirgas could be held with locals and not with the foreigners, who had clearly told the Jirga members they would continue Jihad and war and the government may do whatever it could," said the chief minister.
He said "the government was ready to hold negotiations with its own people but what should we do with the foreigners, who have their own agenda of destruction," added Hoti. He said that delay and failure of the government in launching operation in Bajaur would have brought adverse devastation and today the flag of someone else would have hoisted in the area.
Hoti said that the government had never refused Jirgas in Hangu and asked four MPAs suggesting negotiations for the solution of crisis, to go ahead in this regard. To initiate the process, the government extended them every facility for the restoration of peace. But, still he said, "who were responsible for the killing of 16 police and FC officials," he made a question.
He asked the people to establish peace committees like the people in Lakki Marwat, Bunir and Dir have constituted and playing their positive role. He reiterated to take up arms for the protection of their citizen and coming generation. He said they were not taking dictation from Washington or Islamabad but from his own people, who had voted them into power.
Earlier Syed Mufti Janan, Javed Abbasi, Saqibullah Khan, Shamshir Ali Khan, Molvi Obaidullah, Ms Yasmin, Ms Uzma Khan, Zamin Khan expressed concern over the worsening law and order situation and miserable condition of recently migrated victims from Bajaur.