Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Shah Farman criticised the United Nations for not resolving the issue of Afghan refugees. “We have been hosting the refugees for four decades,” he said. PHOTO: FILE
While chairing the session on Monday, Deputy Speaker Dr Mehar Taj Roghani suspended the agenda for the day and opened the floor for discussion over the tragic Quetta incident.
Minister for Law Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi moved a resolution which stated that 97 people were killed, while 171 were injured in the incident. “It is a huge loss and cannot be condemned in words. Therefore, the assembly condemns the incident with a joint resolution.”
Awami National Party Parliamentary Leader Sardar Hussain Babak, while speaking over the issue, condemned the incident and advised the leadership of the country to admit to mistakes of the past. “We should not feel ashamed over admitting mistakes committed in the past,” he said.
“The five big political parties should tell the nation that they are against militants, their supporters and even against the mindset. They should also prove it with practice,” he added. He was also critical of the NAP.
“It seems the NAP is limited to papers.” He added the whole nation was given assurances the NAP would end lawlessness, but such incidents from time to time raise questions over its implementation.
Babak also raised the issue of harassment of Afghan refugees and their expulsion from Pakistan. He called for an immediate end to their harassment and dignified treatment.
On the occasion, opposition leader Maulana Lutfur Rahman called for revisiting policies dealing with the law and order situation. “When an operation continues throughout the year and such incidents still happen, we should revisit our policies," he said.
Similarly, Minister for Local Government Inayatullah Khan of Jamaat-e-Islami condemned the Quetta carnage, saying such attacks were a matter of grave concern.
He also spoke about the refugees’ issue and said the matter was being discussed with the federal and provincial governments.
“It is a joint exercise involving both the federal and provincial governments. We do not want to create hatred in the minds of refugees living with us for decades as it would then develop into a psyche that will be difficult to remove.”
Minister for Irrigation Sikandar Sherpao said, “We need to review the NAP and I think there should be a strategy to revise it as terrorists are changing their tactics.”
He said peace in Kabul and Pakistan was interlinked. He called for a joint strategy to cope with the enemy. “Peace in Kabul is directly connected to peace here, so we need to make effective plans against the common enemy.”
Sherpao was also unhappy over the treatment of Afghan nationals in the country. He said, “We want the refugees to take a goodwill message to their country. We want that a strategy be developed and a committee be formed to decide a way to streamline the procedure for those Afghan refugees who have business and property in Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Shah Farman criticised the United Nations for not resolving the issue of Afghan refugees. “We have been hosting the refugees for four decades,” he said. “Afghan refugees are involved in the majority of criminal activities and they also do not possess proof of registration cards.”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 9th, 2016.
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