The lawmakers in Senate on Monday blamed provincial governments for lack of progress on implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) as well no effective coordination among intelligence agencies for Quetta carnage. Speaking on a resolution that was unanimously passed by the house, the lawmakers across the aisle condemned the barbaric attack in Quetta that claimed several lives last month, saying lack of coordination on part of provincial governments was the major reason behind such gruesome incidents across the country.
The resolution was moved by Raja Zafarul Haq, but absence of Minister of Interior and his deputy's absence in the house earned the ire of the combined opposition causing senators belonging to Balochistan and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) to stage a walkout, accusing the issue of not being taken seriously. Senator Aitzaz Ahsan, the opposition leader in the Senate, said that 'mysterious disappearance' of Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan and his deputy Baligur Rehman from the house when such an important issue is being discussed, is enough to understand how serious the government is about Quetta incident.
When the issue was raised by the opposition leader, not a single minister was present in the house including leader of house in Senate Raja Zafrul Haq except Mushahidullah Khan, the ruling party parliamentary leader in Senate. However, he could not bring the protesting senators back, forcing Ahmed Hassan, the presiding office who was chairing the session, to adjourn the house after quorum was pointed out by Kulsum Perveen, a treasury senator from Balochistan.
Earlier speaking on the resolution Senator Hasil Bizenjo of National Party said that the root cause of militancy and terrorism are the religious seminaries which according to him are the breeding grounds for radicalizing the society under the pretext of Islam. "Unless the government takes the religious seminaries in its control, the mindset which has long been radicalizing the whole society, we can not win the war against terrorism no matter how many national action plans are formulated," he added.
He said that acting as a silent spectator by accusing RAW, NDS and Mossad is not enough, adding the government must take some practical steps as people have lost their near and dear ones who shouldn't be made fun through political gimmicks. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) said that Quetta incident was the biggest crime against humanity after Army Public School attack in Peshawar in 2014, adding the reason we failed to eradicate the menace of terrorism is Nacta and NAP were not implemented in letter and spirit.
The Quetta incident was a complete security lapse which needs to be determined through an independent inquiry, he said, adding the reconciliation process started by the government to woo estranged Baloch leaders seems dead. Senator Syed Hussain Mashhadi of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) held the provincial government of Balochistan responsible for the carnage, adding, it was also collective failure of intelligence agencies as well as the federal government as they all have failed to protect the life and property of people.
He also came down hard on the government for giving free hand to the proscribed organizations which he said are staging protest freely by printing posters inscribed with pictures of their leaders with the top military general (General Raheel Sharif) of the country.
"NAP has become dysfunctional; political will is lacking and there should be an inquiry into the incident to avoid such untoward incidents in the past as we have had enough. Penalizing one leader of PPP and one of MQM is not the solution to the issue," he added. Senator Usman Khan Kakar of Pakhtunkhawa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) accused the powerful 'Punjabi Establishment' of infighting the people all over the country to strengthen its rule in the country. He plainly stated that his party had been opposed to 'Punjabi Establishment' and will keep fighting unless rest of the provinces are given their rights, adding our hatred must be linked with ordinary people living in Punjab province as we are the powerful establishment.