The Upper House of the Parliament on Wednesday passed a unanimous resolution, condemning the cowardly terrorist attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, with a call for adopting zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and formation of a parliamentary panel to oversee implementation of National Action Plan (NAP). The resolution, moved by leader of the house in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq, called upon both the federal and the provincial governments to adopt "zero tolerance" towards terror activities and take strong measures to curb such attacks.
Commenting on Wednesday's terrorist attack in Charsadda, the lawmakers targeted the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led (PML-N) federal government, hinting that Prime 'Minister Nawaz Sharif and his kitchen cabinet' had no political will to curb terror attacks, which reflected in lack of implementation of NAP despite the passage of one year. The house also acknowledged the operation Zarb-e-Azb, saying the contribution of the armed forces of Pakistan to eliminate the menace of terrorism and militancy through the ongoing military operation is commendable.
Taking part in the debate, opposition leader in the Senate Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan hit hard at the government and said the state was still considering some radical elements as its 'assets'. He said that this was not the NAP agreed to by all the parties, rather this was N-league action plan, as no action was taken against the terrorist safe havens in Islamabad and Punjab. "It's on record the PML-N leadership begging Taliban not to target Punjab as they share the same school ideology, and how can this plan be successful," he questioned.
In an obvious reference to Federal Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan, he sarcastically remarked how a man who fell sick when he was asked to go to Karachi by the Prime Minister can ensure implementation of NAP. "The objection raised by the lawmakers is correct why the interior minister is not seen when the terrorist killed the future of our country," he added.
The opposition leader also criticised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his recent visit to Iran and Saudi Arabia, saying that the premier opted to visit the Middle East along with Chief of Army Staff completely ignoring the parliament. "If parliament is ignored any longer, then there will be only one-man and it will not be the prime minister," he said in a veiled warning to the PM.
Underscoring the need to take corrective measures to improve the syllabus, he said priority should be given to root out the menace of terrorism through full support to the army instead of spending billions of rupees on flyovers and bridges. "The Primer Minister is so generous to give Rs 2.5 billion to Siddique Baloch when he asks for Rs 2 billion for election campaign...but the government is yet to identify what is its priority: eradicating the terrorism or building flyover," he lamented.
But, Raja Zafarul Haq, leader of the house in Senate, defended the interior minister, saying that he had been on the bed rest for the last one week, adding 'anybody can fall sick, and there is no point to criticise him [Nisar] at this point'. He also endorsed the proposal by the Senate chairman Raza Rabbani that parliamentary oversight committee should be formed to monitor the progress on NAP. "We all should join hands and fight the cancer of terrorism together," he added.
Senator Usman Khan Kakar of Pakhtukhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), whose party is an ally of the government, made it loud and clear that 'unless the interference by military and spy agencies in political matters are not stopped, there is no solution to the menace of terrorism'.
Holding the former military dictator General Ziaul Haq and General Hamid Gul, known as godfather of Taliban, directly responsible for the ongoing terrorism and militancy, he stressed the parliament should be empowered for finding a long-lasting solution to the issue. He claimed that controversial hard-liner preacher Maulana Abdul Aziz of Red Mosque was being protected by the government and the military, adding that no one is afraid of him, as he is very small fry to deal with but he has blessings of people at the helm of affairs.
Senator Salahuddin Tirmizi, a former three-star military general, demanded that the inquiry reports of a military school as well as the recent attack on the Bacha Khan University be made public in order to prevent such attacks by taking correctives measures. Senator Kamil Ali Agha said that there was no let up in the ongoing war against terrorism due to lack of political acumen, adding that except late Benazir Bhutto not a single politician is ready to take the terrorists head-on, but he quickly added that it is only CoAS General Raheel Sharif who is seen in the forefront in war against terrorism.
Senator Farhatullah Babar said that peace will be an elusive goal for Pakistan unless there was peace in Afghanistan, adding that the state must revisit its policies, desist from treating Afghanistan as our fifth province.
He proposed that the relevant committee of the Senate be tasked to regularly review the implementation on NAP and submit its report to the Senate. He criticised the federal government's insensitivity towards KP, as demonstrated by the fact that the Interior Minister was conspicuous by his absence and no high profile figure from federal government visited the victims.
Senator Sherry Rehman asked about the viability of the NAP when the top terrorists in the country ran free in the Punjab, adding that Senate was waiting for the PM to cut short his visit and return forthwith from Davos to pick up the pieces from a dark and bloody episode that will haunt the country for years.