Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. PHOTO: REUTERS
The implementation of resolutions passed by All Parties Conferences over the last five years has had a chequered history, but the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government touts that things will be different this time around.
“The previous government did not implement APC resolutions due to its non-seriousness, but that will change now,” PML-N Secretary Information Senator Mushahidullah Khan told The Express Tribune.
“Our government has proven its seriousness in a short span of three months through several practical steps.”
To substantiate his point, Khan said that his party allowed Baloch nationalists to form a government in the province, took practical steps to address issues of law and order in Karachi and have decided to engage the Taliban. “It does not mean that what has happened in the past will be repeated,” he added.
In November 2011, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government had constituted a special committee to oversee the implementation of resolutions passed by the APC and former Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf was unanimously elected its chairman. After he was elected, the committee never met again.
Mushahidullah Khan said that there was no need to solicit parliament’s approval over the decisions taken at the APC. With the leaders of all political parties on board, there is no need to send the resolution to the parliament, he added.
On Monday, the concern of earlier deadbeat APCs was raised. A fresh resolution was approved that mentioned the lack of any action after the multi-party forums are held.
Monday’s joint resolution stated: “We have also been perturbed to note the continued non-implementation of the important recommendations relating to national security contained in: (1) the declaration of the All Parties Conference organised by the JUI-F on February 28, 2013; (2) the joint declaration of the All Parties Conference for Peace convened by the ANP on February 14, 2013; (3) the resolution of the All Parties Conference convened by the then Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on September 29, 2011; (4) the resolution adopted by the Joint Sitting of Parliament on May 14, 2011; (5) the consensus resolution passed by the in-camera Joint Sitting of Parliament on October 22, 2008; and (6) the resolution passed by the Joint Sitting of Parliament on April 12, 2012.”
Talking to The Express Tribune on the issue, Haider Abbas Rizvi from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) also said that the issue was raised during the meeting. “However, neither did any mechanism come under discussion nor was anything agreed on to oversee the implementation of the new resolution,” he said.
After attending the APC, Liaquat Baloch of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) also reiterated, “The previous government did not implement any resolution and we have said this on record.” The PML-N government will also lose its credibility if it did not implement this, he added.
APCs held under past regime
September 29, 2011
Convened by former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, the APC reached a consensus over a joint resolution, refuting US allegations regarding Haqqani network, seeking a revisit of Pakistan’s policy on war on terror, deciding on dialogue with political arm of the Haqqani network
February 14, 2013
Sponsored by ANP, All Parties Conference for Peace recommended in a joint declaration that talks with TTP should be the ‘first priority’ in any strategy to restore peace
February 28, 2013
JUI-F organised the APC that called for holding peace talks with Pakistani Taliban, decided that all stakeholders will hold talks, including the government and the tribal elders, to formulate a strategy
Published in The Express Tribune, September 10th, 2013.
COMMENTS (5)
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Federal Government of PML-N should learn from the previous such resolutions, which were unfortunately forgotten. Hope that govt will make a mechanism to ensure the implementation of current APC resolution. Other parliamentary parties should keep proper check and balance.
Tell me one good reason why do you need APC when you have a parliament? Maybe because your parliament is ineffective due to the absence of local government system and you cannot decide who has to deal with local issues and who has to make policies for this country.
Lets hope for the best for Pakistan.
" but the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government touts that things will be different this time around. " .................... And who did not claim so. I can't remember any.
In the end its war. why not start from end to begin final round just to save time and resources.