Senate spars over rising terror attacks in K-P

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate on Tuesday witnessed a heated exchange between the treasury and opposition benches over the escalating security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as JUI-F Senator Attaur Rehman questioned whether the province had effectively been "handed over to terrorists".

Taking the floor, Senator Rehman criticised "the government's indifference" to the worsening law and order situation in K-P, arguing that legislative business was being prioritised over human lives. He said the focus on legislation was "in no way more important than the lives of the people of K-P".

"Why has our blood turned white? Why is there no concern for K-P?" Rehman asked. "Blood is being spilt there and you're worried about your bills. Are these bills so important that human blood keeps flowing while you keep passing legislation?"

He referred to recent attacks in Lakki Marwat and Bannu, and alleged that the provincial chief minister was "still out on tours".

"Have some sense of our wounds. Why are Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's conditions not being given importance?" he said.

Responding to the criticism, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that every terrorist incident had been condemned on the floor of the House. He added, "I don't believe our hearts don't ache for these incidents.

He said the attacks on police personnel in Bannu and Lakki Marwat were "cowardly".

Chaudhry said intelligence-based operations were ongoing and rejected the impression that any province was being singled out. "This country will remain; however, the terrorists will be defeated," he said, adding that even an incident had occurred in Islamabad. He questioned whether the suicide blast in Tarlai was linked to K-P.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah also weighed in, stating that he fully respected Senator Rehman's patriotism but rejected any suggestion of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa breaking away from Pakistan. "K-P and Balochistan are provinces of patriotic Pakistanis," he said.