‘Strategic depth’ policy echoes in NA

Lawmakers urge speaker to help empower parliament

ISLAMABAD:

Opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly on Monday stressed the need for national cohesion to face challenges emanating from Afghanistan and called for rule of law and free, fair and transparent elections in the country.

Taking part in the debate on the presidential address, senior politicians from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and others urged Speaker Asad Qaiser to play his part in empowering parliament, which they described as the most powerful institution in the country.

From the government’s side, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood and National Assembly Member (MNA) Alia Hamza, criticised the opposition for doing politics on vital national issues, such as examinations for secondary and higher secondary classes amid ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The house met with Panel of Chairman member Amjad Niazi in the chair. The house thanked the president of Pakistan for his address to the joint sitting of parliament on August 20, 2020.

Earlier, the debate began in the National Assembly over the presidential address, which was initiated by former foreign minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif.

Asif said that Pakistan could not remain indifferent to the situation Afghanistan. “The United States is leaving Afghanistan after spending $2 trillion and the killing of 3,500 NATO troops. The situation in Afghanistan is a matter of concern for the whole world,” he added.

The senior PML-N leader told the house that the decisions taken in the past regarding “strategic depth” were wrong. Khawaja Asif warned that there were “fault lines” in the country on the basis of religion and languages.

“If these fault lines deteriorated, how will we deal with them,” he asked. “Only a united nation can cope with the situation if the one arose,” he added. For the national unity, he stressed that respect for the Constitution was essential for running any system.

“The speaker should play his role in empowering parliament. We also have to reconsider our past decisions,” Asif said. “Only a united nation, when Punjabis, Pakhtuns, Balochs and Sindhis are also happy, can cope with any situation.”

Asif appreciated the briefing to the lawmakers on the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan by the army chief and the director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). “I am grateful to the team that came [to the house] to give the briefing,” he added.

Asif emphasised that respecting the vote meant acting according to the Constitution. He added that the army, the media and the judiciary were all powerful institutions, but warned that until transparent elections were held politicians would continue to look towards Rawalpindi, a reference to the army.

Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said that it had been noticed since last few days that politics had been done on the examinations issue. He added that the decision of conducting the exams was taken jointly by all the federating units but now there was a demand for the postponement of the exams.

The PPP-led government in Sindh and the PML-N government in Azad Kashmir, along with all education ministers, decided for conducting the exams. “All the education ministers thought that there must be examinations,” he said.

“Many schools remained closed due to coronavirus pandemic therefore, the children could not get the education. The curriculum was reduced by 40%, and exams were postponed for three months to give time to the students to prepare,” he said.

“The education ministers decided to conduct the exams. The reason for conducting the exams in phases was the admissions of the students in different fields,” the minister explained. “But alas, the opposition deliberately politicised the issue. I condemn politics against the unanimous decisions.”

In his speech, Raja Pervez Ashraf referred to the upcoming elections in Azad Kashmir. “Our Kashmir affairs minister says whoever gives us the lead in the election will give him Rs10 million,” he alleged. “What impression do you want to give by saying such things?”