PCNS meeting: Discussions on Nato route reopening deferred after JUI-F boycotts

PML-N and PML-Q members also absent on account of attending Prime Minister's Energy Conference.

ISLAMABAD: The decision to boycott the proceedings of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) threw a spanner in the works as a meeting of the committee on Monday yielded no progress as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz remained absent and the Jamiat-e-Ulema-Islam-Fazal chief Moulana Fazalur Rehman observed his announced boycott.

The Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) chief, Senator Raza Rabbani had summoned the meeting to discuss the reopening of NATO supply routes with Senators. However it failed to make any progress on scheduled discussions as JUI-F and PML-N members opted to not attend the meeting. Even though Rabbani urged Moulana Fazlur Rehman to end his boycott and attend the meeting despite opposition to NATO supply reopening, no headway was achieved.

He said JUI-F chief could present his ethical note if he failed to develop an agreement with the recommendations.

“Moulana sahib should have come to the proceedings so as to develop consensus. It is compulsory to keep sharing his reservations and grievances,” Rabbani said

The committee was due to review recommendations of Pak-US ties and reopening of NATO supply routes in Monday’s meeting.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Rabbani clarified that members of PML-N and PML-Q did not attend the meeting due to the energy conference hosted by the Prime Minister, while JUI-F staged a boycott.

Optimistically, he claimed that there could be headway in Tuesday’s meeting if PML-N and JUI-F participated.