NA session: Opposition to quiz govt over peace process

Taliban likely to take centre-stage as lawmakers meet for ninth session.

ISLAMABAD: With the National Assembly set to meet in the backdrop of a gridlock in the Taliban dialogue process, opposition lawmakers are gearing to quiz the government on its future strategy, despite the dialogue process not being part of the formal agenda.

The ninth session of the lower house of parliament, which will start on Monday [today], comes two weeks after the prime minister announced the formation of a government committee to hold talks with the Taliban.

The four-member committee, headed by Adviser Irfan Siddiqi, was mandated to hold talks with representatives of the Taliban but the dialogue process came to a halt after the Mohmand Agency chapter of TTP claimed killing 23 Frontier Corps soldiers last week. The breakdown of talks was followed by air strikes against TTP hideouts in tribal regions and Hangu district.

Complaining that the government did not consult opposition benches prior to initiating action against the militants, lawmakers have said that the National Assembly session will provide them an opportunity to question the government on the issue.

Talking to The Express Tribune, PTI Dr Arif Alvi said “PTI had demanded an unconditional ceasefire from the Taliban but they did not honour our demand and brutally murdered our soldiers.”

He added that his party was not consulted on the scenario emerging after the brutal killing of FC personnel; however, his party supports the government’s action for a peaceful Pakistan. “We will further deliberate on the issue of talks before the upcoming assembly session,” he added.

Weighing in on the issue, PPP’s Abdul Sattar Bachani said that his party would also deliberate on the evolving situation and the law and order in the country during the parliamentary party’s meeting before the session.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 24^th, 2014.