Khursheed asks Abbasi to clarify position

One must be cautious while making such statements, given the circumstances, says Khursheed

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah asked the prime minister on Monday to explain in parliament his position on the repercussions of Nawaz Sharif’s controversial statement on the Mumbai terror attacks.

He had earlier refused to attend the National Security Committee meeting.

“I expect the PM to come to parliament and share [details] of [what transpired in] the National Security Committee [meeting)],” he said on Monday.

Speaking with reporters in his chamber in the parliament, Shah said that it was the government’s responsibility to deal with the fallout of the former prime minister’s statement.

“I arrived in Islamabad late in the night and I learnt that I had been called to attend the (NSC) meeting in the morning. And since this was an issue created by a PML-N leader, they must deal with it.”



Commenting on the former PM’s comments, the PPP leader said that words could be misinterpreted; therefore, people on important posts should weigh their words carefully. “One must be cautious while making such statements, given the circumstances.”

He said that after the NSC, he expected the PM to come to the house and share his views on the situation, he said.

Malik advises Nawaz

Another PPP leader Rehman Malik urged Nawaz Sharif to retract his statement. He was speaking with media persons at his residence.

Nawaz, he asserted, had implicated Pakistan through his statement on the Mumbai attacks.

“I categorically deny the involvement of any of our institutions in this (episode).”

Malik claimed that Ajmal Kasab was recruited by India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), adding that India had denied Pakistan access to Kasab for investigation. “They also did not give us access to the evidence.”

The PPP leader said that Sharif could be called by the United Nations because of his statement.

He refuted that Pakistan was causing any delay in the trial. Malik also urged Nawaz to tender an apology.

According to him, the statement was highly irresponsible and childish and could also spell trouble for the country.

“Sharif must learn to differentiate between state and non-state actors,” he said.

He claimed that the Indian spy agency RAW had been involved in the Samjhota Express and Mumbai attacks.

Pakistan, he said, had been demanding extradition of the Ansari brothers allegedly involved in these incidents.

“It is time to forge national cohesion…Da’ish has started attacking Pakistan…We need to save our country,” he said.

Resolution in NA

The PPP also submitted an adjournment motion against Nawaz Sharif’s controversial statement.

The motion called for quickly initiating a thorough debate in the National Assembly on the issue and that such “irresponsible statements will adversely affect our national security and diplomatic efforts”.

The motion was filed by PPP’s Naveed Qamar, Shazia Marri, Nawab Yousuf Talpur, and Syed Ghulam Mustafa.