Nisar cautions against ‘damaging debate’

Interior Minister says that the military can not afford a ‘debate’ at this juncture.

ISLAMABAD:

Urging that Pakistan Army’s role should not be suspected at all, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Monday that the military could not afford a ‘debate’ at this juncture.

“This debate is extremely damaging in the current circumstances,” Nisar told lawmakers in the National Assembly, while referring to the controversy triggered by JI chief Munawar Hassan’s remarks.

He said that several leaders, during a parliamentary meeting before the assembly session, wanted to table resolutions on the controversy. “However, I requested them that indulging in this debate would distract us from our target,” he said.



The interior minister said the US had always complained against Pakistan Army despite its role in the peace process with the Afghan Taliban. “Therefore, it is wrong to say that the army is fighting a war at the behest of the US.”

Earlier, the JI lawmaker Sahibzada Tariqullah said his party had always acknowledged the sacrifices of Pakistan Army. However, he objected to Sunday’s statement by the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) that demanded an ‘unconditional apology’ from the JI chief.

“The ISPR should not have issued a statement. It should have asked us about the remarks through the interior minister,” he said.

Terming it ‘damaging’, MQM lawmaker Sheikh Salahuddin said his party condemned the JI chief’s statement.

PPP lawmaker Nafisa Shah criticised Hassan’s statement. “We should end confusion over this subject,” she added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2013.