By Asim Hussain
ISLAMABAD: Senators from various political parties on Tuesday demanded devising counter terrorism policy to exterminate the menace of terrorism from the country after evolving consensus with all stakeholders.
Participating in a discussion on the incident of terrorism in Peshawar and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, they urged the government to provide required facilities to police and law enforcement agencies to enable them to exterminate the menace of terrorism.
Former Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani of Pakistan Peoples Party demanded devising a new consensus over counter-terrorism policy in the upcoming joint session of the parliament by taking on board all the stakeholders.
He said parliamentary probe should be initiated for starting dialogue with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) sans taking into confidence people and other stakeholders.
Mushahid Hussain Syed of Pakistan Muslim League said country’s Afghan policy has miserably failed to yield desired results. He lamented incapacitating National Counter Terrorism Authority (NECTA). He urged the government to announce general elections and let’s talk about Pakistan and its people.
Saifullah Abro of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) criticized the government for dragging PTI Chairman Imran Khan in every ill being confronted by the country.
Bahramand Khan Tangi of Pakistan Peoples Party asked who stopped implementing National Action Plan (NAP), which was formulated in consensus with all stakeholders.
Kamran Murtaza of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) said terrorists were targeting Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The resolution of the country’s issues lies in empowering parliament as well as the government.
Rana Maqbool of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), said NECTA should be declared as division by equipping it with the required manpower and other facilities to it.
Afghan authorities should be contacted through diplomatic channels urging them to not allow the use of their territory against Pakistan.
Anwar Ul Haq Kakar of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) stressed adopting holistic approach for devising consensus among all politicians for exterminating terrorism from the country. Specialized forces should be appointed for countering terrorism, he said.
Ejaz Chaudhary of PTI urged the government to announce the date of elections in the country as this is the only way to drive the country out of crisis and achieving sustainable peace.
Faisal Javed of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said the country had endured over $150 billion in economic losses and displacing over 3.5 million people in the past 20 years due to supporting war on terror.
Danesh Kumar of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) urged devising consensus strategy to counter terrorism.
Muhammad Akram of National Party criticized the successive governments for not strengthening country’s economy.
