NAP Be Reviewed To Cope With Terrorism Effectively: Senators

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Dec, 2016 ) : Senators on Thursday demanded the government to review implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) for coping with the menace of terrorism effectively.

Speaking on an adjournment motion moved by Leader of the Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan, Sehar Kamran and others regarding the report of the commission on the terror incident at Civil Hospital Quetta on August 8, 2016, they called for forging unity to root out the scourge of terrorism from the country.

Taking part in the discussion in Senate, Aitzaz Ahsan said it was a very significant report and action should be taken on its recommendations. Sehar Kamran of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said the NAP should be implemented fully across the country.

Certain organizations should be banned as per the recommendations of the Balochistan government, she added. She also called for taking concrete steps for repatriating the Afghan refugees to their country.

Sassui Palijo of the PPP said the Quetta Civil Hospital attack was a national tragedy in which scores of innocent people, mainly lawyers, had lost their lives. She said political will was needed to curb terrorism from the country.

Col (R) Tahir Hussain Mashhadi of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) said the recommendations of the Quetta commission should be followed to purge the country of terrorists and terrorist organizations.

Farhatullah Babar of the PPP said national security should be strengthened. Taking part in the discussion, Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq regretted that mere allegations were levelled against the interior minister.

None of the memebers discussed the report and its recommendations, he added. He said rules and regulations did not allow making remarks about the judiciary, and it was also against moral obligation to make such remarks and personal attack against anyone.

Zafarul Haq said he was expecting that the members would confine themselves to the commission's report. However, no one had uttered a single word about the Quetta tragedy and martyrdom of innocent lawyers and people, he said.

Mir Kabeer appreciated Justice Faez Isa for finalizing the report in the shortest possible time. It was the first report of a commission, which was made public, he said. Dr Jahanzeb Jamaldini of BNP-M said the report should be taken in a positive manner and unity be forged to defeat terrorism.

Usman Kakar of PakMAP said some 7,000 people had lost their lives in the war against terrorism. He urged the government to implement the decisions of all parties conference and the commission's recommendations.

Nihal Hashmi of the PML-N said no one talked about bringing reforms in police and Levies departments and instead indulged in blame game, which was very unfortunate. He said no one had tendered resignation after the Abbottabad incident although it was a severe breach of national security and integrity.

Some 250 innocent people were burnt to death in a Karachi factory but no one resigned and the Interior Minister deserved appreciation for bringing the culprit behind the tragedy, back from abroad, he added.

He said the commission report should not be used for political scoring rather all should join hands to stamp out the menace of terrorism. PML-N's Mushahidullah Khan said the country had witnessed considerable decrease in incidents of terrorism during the past three and a half years.

The credit for that went to the present government and the interior minister, he added. Hafiz Hamdullah, Salim Zia, Gen (R) Abdul Qayyum, Daud Achakzai, Saeedul Hassan, Mohsin Aziz and Kalsoom Parveen also spoke on the motion.