Resolution passed: NA pays tribute to Defence Day martyrs
Lawmakers express concern over military’s role.
ISLAMABAD:
While the National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Defence Day to pay tribute to those killed in the line of duty, not all parliamentarians were at ease with the military.
In the absence of some significant members, including the prime minister and the opposition leader, the National Assembly consumed most of Thursday’s session discussing the significance of the day.
With a focus on making the defence of the country strong, lawmakers agreed that unity was the solution to address the prevailing law and order situation.
However, some MNAs also spoke out against the country’s armed forces. Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Zafar Ali Shah criticised the commercial ventures of the armed forces, saying that acquiring land and developing housing societies in the name of defence was not the job of the army.
He also demanded the immediate withdrawal of the army from Balochistan. Shah regretted that ‘a few’ generals of the army had caused damage to the unity of the armed forces. Many countries were created even after Pakistan, yet, today they are counted among the developed nations, he added.
Another ruling party member, Akhunzada Chittan, said that people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, his home province, were being dealt as foreign nationals and have begun considering the Pakistan Army as their enemy.
Lawmaker Pervez Khan of the Awami National Party (ANP) was of the view that war was not a viable option. “Let us condemn war; all issues should be resolved peacefully,” he said.
On the other hand, MNA Akram Gil highlighted Cecil Chaudhry’s bravery during the 1965 war, and urged everyone to follow the path of unanimity as Pakistanis.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rehman Malik appeared to be on a different tangent, speaking up, once again, about conspiracies against the country.
Malik said the country’s nuclear programme was the real bone of contention, and added that he would soon unearth the conspiracy being hatched against the country’s nuclear assets.
He also pointed out that Afghan militant commander Fazlullah was training his men to launch terrorists attacks in Pakistan. “There are many things I cannot say on camera but the purposes of all these efforts are to prove Pakistan as a failed state and destabilise the current government,” Malik claimed. He also informed the house that about reports that more attacks were being planned to hit Peshawar.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2012.
While the National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Defence Day to pay tribute to those killed in the line of duty, not all parliamentarians were at ease with the military.
In the absence of some significant members, including the prime minister and the opposition leader, the National Assembly consumed most of Thursday’s session discussing the significance of the day.
With a focus on making the defence of the country strong, lawmakers agreed that unity was the solution to address the prevailing law and order situation.
However, some MNAs also spoke out against the country’s armed forces. Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Zafar Ali Shah criticised the commercial ventures of the armed forces, saying that acquiring land and developing housing societies in the name of defence was not the job of the army.
He also demanded the immediate withdrawal of the army from Balochistan. Shah regretted that ‘a few’ generals of the army had caused damage to the unity of the armed forces. Many countries were created even after Pakistan, yet, today they are counted among the developed nations, he added.
Another ruling party member, Akhunzada Chittan, said that people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, his home province, were being dealt as foreign nationals and have begun considering the Pakistan Army as their enemy.
Lawmaker Pervez Khan of the Awami National Party (ANP) was of the view that war was not a viable option. “Let us condemn war; all issues should be resolved peacefully,” he said.
On the other hand, MNA Akram Gil highlighted Cecil Chaudhry’s bravery during the 1965 war, and urged everyone to follow the path of unanimity as Pakistanis.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rehman Malik appeared to be on a different tangent, speaking up, once again, about conspiracies against the country.
Malik said the country’s nuclear programme was the real bone of contention, and added that he would soon unearth the conspiracy being hatched against the country’s nuclear assets.
He also pointed out that Afghan militant commander Fazlullah was training his men to launch terrorists attacks in Pakistan. “There are many things I cannot say on camera but the purposes of all these efforts are to prove Pakistan as a failed state and destabilise the current government,” Malik claimed. He also informed the house that about reports that more attacks were being planned to hit Peshawar.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2012.