Equal and opposite reaction?: Assembly to tackle issues of drone strikes, NATO supply
Session called by the govt after Imran Khan’s statement on blocking supply routes.
File photo of PTI Chairman Imran Khan at a press conference. PHOTO: WASEEM NAZIR/EXPRESS
PESHAWAR:
As the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly is set to meet today to review the killing of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief and closure of Nato supply routes, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government is likely to enjoy the backing of opposition parties.
This will be the third session called in an emergency in the past month. Previously, two sessions were requisitioned by opposition parties to discuss the All Saints Church attack and the assassination of K-P law minister Israrullah Khan Gandapur respectively. The opposition-requisitioned session, which concluded on October 31, was also used to pass two important legislations, namely the Right to Information and Local Government bills.
However, today’s session has been called by the government after PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s announcement to block Nato supply lines passing through K-P. A resolution to this effect is likely to be tabled in the assembly.
One of the leading opposition parties, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) is likely to decide its course of action by today, JUI-F spokesperson Haji Jalil Jan told The Express Tribune.
According to Awami National Party leader Sardar Hussain Babak, by calling a session to discuss drones and Nato, PTI was conveying a message of solidarity to the Taliban. The government failed to call an assembly session following the twin suicide blasts at All Saints Church or after the murder of Gandapur but it was calling one now, emphasised Babak.
Cutting off at Karachi or Peshawar?
Soon after PTI came to power, the government and opposition parties failed to reach a consensus over drone attacks and Nato supplies. At the time, the opposition disagreed with the government’s suggestion to stop supplies in Karachi, a city not within K-P’s jurisdiction.
Since PTI forms the government in K-P, it does not need to convene a session to stop the movement of Nato supplies through the province, pointed out the ANP parliamentary leader. Earlier, when opposition parties had asked PTI to bring forward a resolution on the same issue, the party vacillated by asking to close the supply route in Karachi, he added.
However, Babak continued, now opposition parties will hold consultations before making a decision and will review the resolution draft which the government is presenting on Monday.
“We will support the PTI resolution since we feel that this is a matter of national interest,” stated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawmaker Arbab Akbar Hayat. A third force is bent on sabotaging the peace process as the Taliban have denied previous attacks, added Hayat.
However, he cautioned against shifting any blame to the PML-N government at the centre. related story on page 14
Published in The Express Tribune, November 4th,2013.
As the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly is set to meet today to review the killing of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief and closure of Nato supply routes, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government is likely to enjoy the backing of opposition parties.
This will be the third session called in an emergency in the past month. Previously, two sessions were requisitioned by opposition parties to discuss the All Saints Church attack and the assassination of K-P law minister Israrullah Khan Gandapur respectively. The opposition-requisitioned session, which concluded on October 31, was also used to pass two important legislations, namely the Right to Information and Local Government bills.
However, today’s session has been called by the government after PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s announcement to block Nato supply lines passing through K-P. A resolution to this effect is likely to be tabled in the assembly.
One of the leading opposition parties, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) is likely to decide its course of action by today, JUI-F spokesperson Haji Jalil Jan told The Express Tribune.
According to Awami National Party leader Sardar Hussain Babak, by calling a session to discuss drones and Nato, PTI was conveying a message of solidarity to the Taliban. The government failed to call an assembly session following the twin suicide blasts at All Saints Church or after the murder of Gandapur but it was calling one now, emphasised Babak.
Cutting off at Karachi or Peshawar?
Soon after PTI came to power, the government and opposition parties failed to reach a consensus over drone attacks and Nato supplies. At the time, the opposition disagreed with the government’s suggestion to stop supplies in Karachi, a city not within K-P’s jurisdiction.
Since PTI forms the government in K-P, it does not need to convene a session to stop the movement of Nato supplies through the province, pointed out the ANP parliamentary leader. Earlier, when opposition parties had asked PTI to bring forward a resolution on the same issue, the party vacillated by asking to close the supply route in Karachi, he added.
However, Babak continued, now opposition parties will hold consultations before making a decision and will review the resolution draft which the government is presenting on Monday.
“We will support the PTI resolution since we feel that this is a matter of national interest,” stated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawmaker Arbab Akbar Hayat. A third force is bent on sabotaging the peace process as the Taliban have denied previous attacks, added Hayat.
However, he cautioned against shifting any blame to the PML-N government at the centre. related story on page 14
Published in The Express Tribune, November 4th,2013.