Criticism: K-P governor remarks on Taliban draw ire in Senate

PPP condemns Abbasi’s suggestion that militants be given amnesty.

ISLAMABAD:

Remarks made by the newly appointed Governor of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) regarding a general amnesty to militants drew criticism from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in the upper house during the Senate session on Thursday.

Condemning the suggestion recently made by Sardar Mehtab Khan Abbasi, the PPP demanded that the government either disown the statement or clear its stance. It also asked that the house be briefed about the prisoners who have been released.

Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the maiden statement of the newly appointed K-P governor proposing to give general amnesty to militants would demoralise security forces and lend strength to the militants.

He said that Abbasi’s statement would have disastrous implications for the security of the country and the fight against militants.

“Has the new provincial governor been appointed to prepare grounds and implement this new policy towards militants?” he questioned.

Babar said that such a policy statement could not have been made by the governor in his personal capacity nor can he feign ignorance.

He said that being the highest representative of the federal government in the militancy-infested K-P region, the governor is also the agent of the president for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

“It is inconceivable that such a statement could have been made without the knowledge and even direction of the federal government,” he said, demanding clarity on the matter.

Babar was backed by Senators Raza Rabbani and Rehman Malik.

Rabbani said the house needs to be given details of the identities and charges of the prisoners already released.

“Since we are told that these prisoners are insignificant, why would the TTP demand their release?” he said.

If the process of negotiations had met a dead end, the government should think about all other options, he added.

Rabbani asked the deputy chairman of the senate to ask the leader of the house, Raja Zafarul Haq, to call upon the interior minister to answer these questions.

Haq explained that the meeting of the federal cabinet is due today (Friday), however, he would make sure that the issues highlighted in the business advisory committee would be addressed accordingly.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th, 2014.