There was nothing new in the Senate on Wednesday as debate on the ongoing military operation and the issue of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) consumed the day's proceedings. The Upper House met 25 minutes beyond schedule with Chairman Farooq H Nike and took up the question-hour and point of order before giving the floor for debate on Swat situation.
Senator Haji Adeel said that Peshawar explosion also involves negligence of the security forces, as terrorists still feel no difficulty in hitting the high security zones in any part of the country. This could be judged from the fact that Corps Commander was living just next to the Hotel where terrorists stuck. It was not clear whether terrorists' target was the Corps Commander or the Hotel. The government does not know how to cope with the phenomenon of the suicide attacks that erupted in Pakistan after 9/11. And this all was happening because of Musharraf policies that turned Pakistan into an explosive tank. We are living a life of fear with mothers praying for the safe return of their children from Schools and offices. Who was responsible for all this we don't know but for sure the prevailing situation has changed the national landscape. The land of opportunities was turned into a terror den.
Senator Zafar Ali Shah said that people of Pakistan are sitting on an explosive mount and he held Musharraf responsible for all this regretting that present government was also toeing the same policies. He said that only a sovereign and strong political leadership could steer the country out of this morass.
He called upon the rulers to take measures for making the country a truly democratic state where military should have no role in the politics. He suggested bold decisions on external as well as on internal fronts by having straight talks with the US on drone attacks.
This could only be done through a political leadership that looks towards the people of its own country rather than abroad. This unfortunately has not been the case in Pakistan and those who have treaded this were taught lesson and made example for other. Politicians referred to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif cases. Everyone knows one was sent to gallows while the other spent more than ten years in exile.
He said that there are two opinions in the ruling alliance about the ongoing operation in Swat. Maulana Fazlur Rehman was against the operation. He said there should be a friendship with the US rather than subordination as was done during the Musharraf's era.
He said in what capacity US diplomat Hollbrooke has been holding meetings with the top brass of Pakistan agency. His meetings with President and Nawaz Sharif were understandable but who has given him the right to meet with head of Pakistan most sensitive agencies.
Senator Sardar Ali said this was not the time of point scoring after what has happened in Swat and all the political forces need to sit together to evolve a strategy to bring the country out of prevailing crisis. He said that about three million have left their homes. The irony was that at the same time when he was calling upon the political parties to sit together to bring the county out of prevailing crisis the ANP was deploring on the attitude of the government. The government did not submit report despite promise on the issue of Pakhtoon students at Jamshoro University. How you can think of political parties drenched in ethnic differences to sit together and evolve a joint strategy for the country's future. The resolution of this small issue does not require so much time.
The Pakhtoon Senator raised the issue on the first day of the current session of the Senate but it was not resolve yet although all the concerning political leadership comes to the session every day. This shows the lack of political will on the part of the political parties. This is the real problem of Pakistan.
By the way, the Chairman Senate Farooq H. Naek constituted a six-member committee on the issue and we all know well about the outcome of committees. So let's hope this might do differently.
He was forced to constitute by the protesting Senators, as delay on the issue would affect the studies of the students. The committee will hold a meeting with the Sindh Chief Minister in couple of days on the issue. Senator Raza Rabbani offered that he would arrange a meeting of the members with chief minister Sindh who will be coming to Islamabad today (Thursday) to discuss the matter and find a solution to it.
The committee was constituted after Senator Zahid Khan of ANP threatened to stage a walkout from the House regretting that he raised the issue three days before but no action was taken. He saw a conspiracy against Pakhtoons students.
Abdul Rahim Mandokhel of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party said that it was clear that Pakhtoons were being targeted in Sindh and are being deprived of their rights. He demanded that effective measures must be taken to redress the issue on the earliest.
Haji Adeel of the ANP said that his party's leadership had repeatedly asked the provincial government to contact the ANP's provincial leadership to resolve the problem. But, he lamented that no attention was paid so far to find any solution to the problem. He said that they wanted to give pen in hands of their children's instead of weapons.