NA expresses solidarity with armed forces

Lawmakers in the National Assembly on Friday expressed their unflinching solidarity with the Pakistan Armed Forces in the ongoing conflict with India, reaffirming their resolve to take revenge from India for every martyr, who died in Indian missile and drone attacks this week.

The National Assembly session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa, continued debate on the India aggression on the fifth consecutive day. During the session the opposition members also vowed to make every sacrifice for the security but insisted on the release of the party founder.

Initiating the debate, Sanjay Parwani of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) said that the secular India had now turned into an extremist India, adding that even the Hindus had never expected what Prime Minister Nerendra Modi had done to his country.

In Modi's India, he said, not only the Muslims and other minorities, but even lower-caste Hindus were not safe. "Hindus in Pakistan should be thankful that they are safer here than those in India," he told the house.

Sadiq Ali Memon of the Pakistan Peoples Party said that India had mistaken Pakistan for Gaza by sending drones and missiles. "The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) gave a befitting reply to India. Pakistan's case has been strengthened before the comity of the nations."

Shahid Khattak of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said that Pakistan was at war with India, therefore, the country needed national unity. While referring to PTI founder Imran Khan, he however added, unity could not be achieved if the country's "popular leader is kept in jail".

"If there is a war with India, we will stand with the military leadership," he said. He accused the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership for not being sincere with the country. "They will push the people into war and then flee to London. Pakistan is ours, we will stay here," he said.

Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi said that Modi was the butcher of Gujarat, who thought that he could break Pakistan but he was sorely mistaken. "India martyred our innocent children. In response to its attacks, we shot down their warplanes, and crushed their military might."

He asserted that Modi was committing terrorism in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). India is responsible for the Jafar Express hijacking in March this year. "We want to tell the world that whoever kills one of our soldiers, we will kill one hundred in return and we will not spare even their proxies."

Continuing, he said that India did what it could do and "now it is our turn", adding: "The world will see what we will do to her" now. "We already have shot down its planes, blew up a brigade headquarters and an airbase," he said.

PTI's Asad Qaiser said that the opposition supported the resolution the treasury side had brought against India but the government was not reciprocating its gesture. "We went to meet the party founder in Adiala Jail, but the police "misbehaved with us". Was this called the national unity, he questioned

Referring to the apex court verdict on the military trials earlier this week, he said that at the time, when the national unity was needed, a "controversial" decision came from the Supreme Court. He added that the court orders for Imran's meetings were being violated.

"India knows where Imran Khan is imprisoned, so his life is in danger," Qaiser said. Therefore, he urged the government fulfil its responsibility for the sake of national unity, and release Imran in the current circumstances.

Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said that India tried to harm Pakistan in 2019 but the PAF took a bold step and we taught her a lesson. "Everyone remembers [captured Indian pilot] Abhinandan. Now India carried out drone attacks on Pakistan with the help of Israel," he added.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that questions were being raised in India over the downing of Rafale jets. India lost its pride with the downing of Rafale jets, he added. "Now, when India was defeated in the air, it resorted to unmanned drone attacks."

PTI's Zartaj Gul said that how could the government speak of the national unity, when an elected chief minister was stopped by police and denied meeting with his leader. She added that when Modi could meet his opponent Rahul Gandhi, the government should also release the PTI founder.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, while responding to the opposition's speeched, welcomed the unanimous message against India. He repeated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's offer for sitting together and taking the country forward.

He said that the military had been given the authority to respond to India, whenever it wanted. "Our soldiers have avenged the martyrdom of our innocent citizens by shooting India's soldiers. "Modi's arrogance has been shattered and India will be torn into pieces," he said.

"Every single drop of the blood of our martyrs is being, and will be avenged. Pakistan has and does not intend to behave aggressively against any country, but if anyone tried to provoke us, we will kill them," the minister told the house. Later, the session was adjourned until Monday.