“This is a deliberate attempt to undermine Pakistan’s image internationally, so as to portray it as an unsafe place for foreign tourists,” says the resolution moved by Shah Mehmood Qureshi. PHOTO: FILE
“This is a deliberate attempt to undermine Pakistan’s image internationally, so as to portray it as an unsafe place for foreign tourists,” said the resolution moved by Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the deputy parliamentary leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
Sunday’s shooting was described as one of the worst attacks on foreigners in a decade.
It called upon the government to “immediately take necessary measures against these anti-state elements and re-assert the professional capacity of the security and intelligence set-ups and ensure greater coordination among them.”
The parliamentary leaders of all major parties supported the resolution which was passed unanimously.
Qureshi said the incident underlined the need for a national security policy and called for a mindset-change in order to deal with terrorism. He said the ulterior motive of the perpetrators was to defame and damage the image of Pakistan internationally.
“A message should go from this house,” Qureshi said as the government let the opposition move the resolution in order to send across a unanimous message over the issue. He said the recurring acts of terror at the time of withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan pointed to the designs of anti-Pakistan elements.
The opposition leader in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Shah, said there would not be politicking over the issue and stressed the need to tackle the menace of terrorism. He supported the idea of brainstorming at the lower house to devise a counter-terrorism strategy.
Awami Muslim League’s (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed blamed the ‘Indian-influenced forces’ for the attack and called for evolving a mechanism for talks with militants to save the country.
Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai, however, urged the need for joints efforts against the menace of terrorism and said “we should not surrender to them [terrorists]”.
“It is about time we developed a national security policy,” said Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Farooq Sattar. He also underscored the need for collaboration among the provinces and the federal government and proposed that an all-party conference be held to develop a national policy.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 24th, 2013.
COMMENTS (20)
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@Adil Uddin: I am not denying that terrorism is a major issue in Pakistan but the way certain elements of Indian media always highlight bad things about Pakistan....
Pakistani terrorism has been an issue in India and Afghanistan for over 35 years. Terrorism has become a major issue in Pakistan only in the last few years.
In Bombay terrorist attack of 26/11, Ten Pakistani terrorists pretended to be Hindus and killed 40 Indian Muslims and 124 non-Muslims from 12 different countries. In just one attack Pakistan got lot of free publicity world wide.
Pakistanis in one attack tried to divide Indian Muslims and non-Muslims, and destroy tourism. If Kasab had not been caught, Pakistan would have blamed Hindus for staging the terrorist attacks.
@saleem: Then why is u r country talking to them,???????????
@np:
It's not about covering any specific event but portrayal of a society as a whole. As many people think that Pakistanis are a society where every man travels on camel with swords and bombs etc..... and women everywhere in Pakistan have to wear Burqa.I am not denying that terrorism is a major issue in Pakistan but the way certain elements of Indian media always highlight bad things about Pakistan and many Indians who have never been to Pakistan consider Pakistani society full of just warlords, terrorists and murderers without any sanity, I have to provide some clarification that everything is not gone or ruined.
Moreover I don't know why many Indians have a problem if any Pakistani loves his nation despite all issues and hopes to tackle different troubles and come here to say that now Pakistani nation is at dead end. What's worse is gonna happen, the country will disintegrate or get occupied and then what? And BTW I am not talking about the language and wording one usually see in TOI comments, and KLF had writers hailing from different other countries too including India's Shobha Dey. And I guess ET and Dawn do cover IIFA and Celebration of 100 years of Indian Cinema.
You are all in denial if you believe the conspiracy theories about foreign direction. These are the same terrorists that the US seeks to kill in drones but you want to protect.
...and, to be sure, Pakistan is not a safe tourist destination. This act wasn't necessary for any child to see that.
@Adil Uddin: "What about Karachi Literature Festival last year? Oh yeah, Times of India didn’t cover it".
Just last week a 2 day theatre festival called 'EkAbhinavPrayas' concluded in Banaras. Was it covered in Pakistani media? Is Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsava, Thyagaraja music festival, Tansen music Festival, ITC Sangeet Sammelan - all music festivals with top notch classical music artistes covered in PAkistan media? Are dance festivals like Konark dance festival, elephanta dance festival, Khajuraho dance festival, modhera dance festival covered in Pakistan? Were Delhi poetry festival and Hyderabad literary festival covered in Pakistan?
There are many arts festivals that occur in India throughout the year - none of which is covered in Pakistan. So what's the big deal if Karachi Lit. festival did not get much coverage in TOI.
Attack on Pakistan's Image?? Perhaps Shah Mehmood Qureshi doesn't know that Pakistan recently got the silver medal for unpopularity... so this attack on the tourists is a perfect reflection our Image abroad... and this incident is our payback/reward to the rest of the world for the faith they have in us.
@Adil Uddin: "I still have got hopes for my country" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sir there is no law against calling ones hut a castle.
Foot in the mouth Disease ++++++++++++++++++ When Malala Yousefzai was attacked a certain General said: “We refuse to bow before terror. We will fight, regardless of the cost. We will prevail.” Some prevailing!
"MPs denounce ‘attack on Pakistan’s image’" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Completely disagree. Pakistan's image was rendered attack proof the day OBL was found living for close to 10 Years next to the largest military training facility.
@vasan:
And still there are many people like you who can't live with satisfaction if they can't visit Pakistani news websites. I still have got hopes for my country since I know that Pakistani nation is still not going to become tribal or militant as a whole. What about Karachi Literature Festival last year? Oh yeah, Times of India didn't cover it.
Sometimes I think Pakistan is an experiment to teach India and the world how not to run a country. I see no other purpose.
This is very well planed war being fought by the enemies of Pakistan to use non state actors to attack Pakistan from inside the country and to destabilize and to bank corrupt the country economically and our previous government was too busy in looting the country them self that they totally ignored this war and I blame the army also that they have let the things get to this point. Our leaders need to come forward and tell the nation the truth and treat this terrorism as acts of war and warn India and Afghanistan of the consequences.
Good joke by the MPs. Pakistan's image ? A cursory browse around the newspapers of the world over the past few years or months or even days will reveal that there is nothing much about Pakistan's image one can attack on or damage .
@Maria: How cowardly are the people who cut down innocent workers returning from a hard days work to Korangi and Pathan colonies to be cut down in cold blood?? Ever thought on this line too??
It's pretty obvious that anti state criminals took direction from their foreign masters to destroy the tourism industry in Northern Pakistan. They don't want to see Pakistanis employed or the state to earn any foreign exchange. How cowardly can these miscreants be to climb up a mountain base camp and kill innocent climbers. Shame on them and their paymasters abroad. Pakistan must show resilience and not allow these agents to harm the nation any further.
My earlier comments were not pointing towards PTI but MQM's Dr Farooq Sattar.
Glad some People are realizing TTP is Indian Intelligence operation (RAW)